New research published in environment and behavior We investigated the relationship between time spent in green spaces and smartphone use. Unlike previous studies that relied on participants’ own reports, this study used geolocation data to determine whether people were in green spaces. They found that people who spent more time in green areas tended to use their smartphones less.
Excessive smartphone use is associated with negative outcomes such as reduced attention span, reduced thinking ability, and decreased well-being. As such, there is a growing interest in understanding what affects smartphone use and finding ways to develop healthier technology habits.
Research consistently shows that spending time in nature has a positive impact on our well-being. It reduces stress, improves mood, improves thinking, and makes you feel better overall. This has led to the Attention Restoration Theory (ART), which suggests that being in nature can restore attention after dealing with the demands of everyday life, including smartphone use.
While the benefits of being in nature and the negative effects of excessive smartphone use are each well-documented, the relationship between these two phenomena is still relatively unknown. Understanding how exposure to green spaces affects smartphone use has important implications for promoting a healthy balance between technology and engagement with nature.
Previous studies have provided some insight into this relationship. For example, studies show that people who spend more time in nature tend to have less overall screen time, including smartphone use. Additionally, studies have shown that exposure to nature reduces the desire to use smartphones and may reduce the frequency of checking mobile devices. However, these studies primarily focused on self-reported measures of contact with nature and smartphone use and are subject to bias and imprecision.
To address these limitations, Kelton Miner and colleagues aimed to provide a more objective and comprehensive study of the relationship between green space exposure and youth smartphone use. Using mobile screen activity and geolocation data, researchers were able to understand real-time smartphone usage patterns and objectively measure time spent in green spaces. This approach allowed us to more accurately assess the association between contact with nature and smartphone activity.
To conduct this study, the research team utilized a large sample of 701 Danish young people, mostly undergraduates. Participants were given smartphones with an app installed that recorded smartphone usage, location, and mobility for two years. Data is collected with student consent, and students can view and delete their data at any time.
The researchers used this data to investigate the relationship between participants’ smartphone use and exposure to the natural environment. They categorized the places he put into two main situations: green spaces (such as parks and nature reserves) and urban environments. They used geolocation data and land cover maps to identify where the participant was in her 15-minute intervals.
Researchers measured three dimensions of smartphone usage, screen time, text messages, and phone calls within 15-minute intervals. They focused on outgoing communication activity to understand how environmental exposure affects participants’ digital behavior.
The study found that young people who spent more time in green spaces used less smartphones. This suggests that being in green spaces may protect young people from excessive smartphone use. On the other hand, recreational areas such as parks and urban areas saw an increase in outgoing smartphone communications (such as text messages and phone calls) if the visit duration was less than two hours.
“Green time, or time outdoors, has long been touted as a way to refocus attention from the demands of everyday life, but until our research was done, it wasn’t clear how nature cut people off from modern mobile devices. It takes us out into the wild,” says Kelton Miner, lead author and postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University’s Data Science Institute. said Mr.
“Previous research suggested that a short trip to a city park could lead to a digital detox, but we found that it actually increased the number of text messages and phone calls. In fact, extended visits to natural areas such as forests and nature reserves have allowed people to step away from their screens and take their attention away from their smartphones.”
The researchers also found that longer visits to natural environments were more effective in reducing smartphone usage. However, even short to moderate nature visits were found to improve digital impulse control compared to urban environments. Staying in one place within the green space was more effective in reducing smartphone screen usage than moving around.
The results of this study contribute to a growing body of research on the relationship between contact with nature and smartphone use. The results suggest that spending time in green spaces may help individuals regulate smartphone use and reduce the potential negative effects of excessive screen time. This has important implications for promoting healthy technology habits and enhancing the well-being of young people.
It is important to note that this study has some limitations. Since most of our sample consisted of undergraduates, we are not sure if the findings apply to other populations. Future studies should involve more diverse participants to ensure that results persist.
Overall, this study provides valuable insight into how being in green spaces affects smartphone use among young people. The findings suggest that spending time in nature can help reduce excessive smartphone use and promote good health. “Spending more time in natural areas of the biosphere may be an appropriate intervention for young people in need of a digital departure from the cybersphere,” the researchers wrote.
This researchExposure to nature is associated with reduced smartphone useThe authors are Kelton Miner, Christopher Lind Gravind, Aaron J. Schwartz, Christopher M. Danforth, Thune Lehmann, and Andreas Bierre-Nielsen.
