Young people’s interactions with nature influenced by Instagram and TikTok, study shows
Teenagers often encounter nature through their time online, which influences their perceptions and behaviours when visiting the countryside
Young people’s engagement with platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Minecraft is shaping how they understand and interact with the natural world, offering opportunities to connect their online experiences with meaningful encounters with nature, a new study reveals.
The research found that teenagers often encounter nature through their time online, which influences their perceptions and behaviours when visiting the countryside. These digital baselines provide educators, policymakers and outdoor leaders with a unique starting point for fostering deeper connections with nature.
Dr Jack Reed, from the University of Exeter, who led the study, said: “Young people are not separating their online and offline worlds the way previous generations might have. Their experiences of nature can begin online, and this influences how they engage with the outdoors in person. Rather than resisting this change, we can embrace it and use it as a tool to inspire stronger connections with the natural world.”
The study emphasises that “screen-based nature” content, from viral outdoor challenges to immersive virtual environments, is shaping how young people come to know nature. Social media platforms offer round-the-clock access to natural imagery and ideas, inspiring trends like nature-inspired art and outdoor adventures. While these digital interactions lack the sensory richness of being outdoors, they present exciting opportunities to introduce young people to the benefits of real-life experiences in nature.
The researchers suggest that educators and outdoor leaders can harness this interest in “digital nature” by integrating it into outdoor education programmes. For instance, digital literacy and critical thinking skills could be embedded in nature-based learning, helping young people reflect on their online experiences while building a more personal connection to the natural world.
Dr Reed said: “It’s clear that young people are learning about nature in new and innovative ways. By recognising and building on this, we can create educational programmes that meet them where they are at and inspire real-world exploration. This approach allows us to connect young people’s online inspirations to the tangible benefits of being outdoors”.
The study was carried out at three of The Outward Bound Trust’s rural residential outdoor education centres in England, Scotland and Wales, involving 50 young people aged 12-17 from urban schools. Over five days at these centres, participants were able to engage directly with nature while reflecting on their online interactions.
The findings, a collaboration between Dr Reed, Professor Simon Beames (Norwegian School of Sport Sciences) and Professor Gale Macleod (University of Edinburgh), provide insights for educators and policymakers seeking to better connect young people to nature in a world where digital and real-life experiences are increasingly intertwined.
Martin Cooper, Director of Learning and Adventure at Outward Bound added “the research shows us that there’s a real need to understand the young people that visit our centres and recognise the realities and lived experiences they go through each day. This means acknowledging that the journey they go through with us is interpreted not just through the physical wilderness but also through complex digital landscapes”.
Dr Reed said: “There’s no value in trying to eliminate young people’s use of technology—it’s part of their world. Instead, we can celebrate and harness their digital experiences as a springboard for building meaningful, real-world connections to nature. This innovative approach will help us adapt our understandings of nature connectedness in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.”
