From Social Media to the Outdoors: Exploring Messages That Connect With Underserved Urban Youth

Susan Houge Mackenzie; Keri Schwab; Lindsey Higgins; P. Brian Greenwood; Marni Goldenberg; Jerusha Greenwood; William W. Hendricks

doi:10.18666/JOREL-2017-V9-I2-8231

Authors

Susan Houge Mackenzie Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Keri Schwab Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Lindsey Higgins Agribusiness Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
P. Brian Greenwood Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Marni Goldenberg Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Jerusha Greenwood Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
William W. Hendricks Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/JOREL-2017-V9-I2-8231

Keywords:

social media, technology, nature, youth development, environmental justice

Abstract

Despite the mental and physical benefits of visiting natural areas, and increases in outdoor activity participation among U.S. youth overall in the past decade, outdoor access is skewed toward nonurban, nonminority populations. This environmental justice issue is particularly pronounced for minority youth in urban areas, such as the Los Angeles Basin. While decreased contact with nature has been associated with increased technology use, the popularity of new technologies and social media outlets presents novel opportunities to connect underserved urban youth with natural areas. Seven focus groups with 42 urban youth in the L.A. Basin explored underserved youth perspectives on connecting with nature, social media, and how social media can deliver nature-related messages of interest to this population. Content analysis revealed commonly preferred social media platforms and Web-based activities, and six themes related to participants’ perceptions of nature: unique experiences, escape, social connections, challenge, adventure, and accessibility. Subscribe to JOREL

Author Biographies

Susan Houge Mackenzie, Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Susan Houge Mackenzie is an assistant professor in the Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Keri Schwab, Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Keri Schwab is an assistant professor in the Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Lindsey Higgins, Agribusiness Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Lindsey Higgins is an assistant professor in the Agribusiness Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

P. Brian Greenwood, Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

P. Brian Greenwood is an associate professor in the Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Marni Goldenberg, Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Marni Goldenberg is a professor in the Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Jerusha Greenwood, Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Jerusha Greenwood is an associate professor in the Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

William W. Hendricks, Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

William W. Hendricks is a department head and professor in the Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

References

Babey, S. H., Hastert, T. A., Yu, H., & Brown, E. R. (2008). Physical activity among adolescents: When do parks matter? American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 34(4), 345-348.

Baker, M. (2005). Landfullness in adventure-based programming: Promoting reconnection to the land. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 27(3), 267-276.

Barnett, L. (2006). Accounting for leisure preferences from within: The relative contributions of gender, race or ethnicity, personality, affective style, and motivational orientation. Journal of Leisure Research, 38(4), 445-474.

Barton, J. & Pretty, J. (2010). What is the best dose of nature and green exercise for improving mental health? A multi-study analysis. Environmental Science and Technology 44, 3947–3955.

Bassett, D. R., John, D., Conger, S. A., Fitzhugh, E. C., & Coe, D. P. (2015). Trends in physical activity and sedentary behaviors of United States youth. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 12(8), 1102-1111.

Berto R., Pasini M., & Barbiero G. (2015). How does psychological restoration work in children? An exploratory study. Journal of Child & Adolescent Behavior, 3(3), 200. doi:10.4172/2375-4494.1000200

Blackwell, C. K., Lauricella, A. R., Conway, A., & Wartella, E. (2014). Children and the

Internet: Developmental implications of web site preferences among 8- to 12-year-old children. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 58(1), 1-20. doi:10.1080/08838151.2013.875022

Bradley, E., Curry, L., & Devers, K. (2007). Qualitative data analysis for health services research: Developing taxonomy, themes, and theory. Health Services Research, 42(4), 1758-1772.

Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., & Daily, G. C. (2012). The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1249(1), 118-136.

Braun, B., Stopfer, J., Muller, K., Beutel, M., & Egloff, B. (2016). Personality and video gaming: Comparing regular gamers, non-gamers, and gaming addicts and differentiating between game genres. Computers in Human Behavior, 55, 406.

Brown, J., & Bobkowski, P. (2011). Older and newer media: Patterns of use and effects on adolescents' health and well-being. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 21(1), 95-113.

Burns, R. C., Covelli, E., & Graefe, A. (2008). Outdoor recreation and nontraditional users: Results of focus group interviews with racial and ethnic minorities. In D. J. Chavez, P. L. Winter, & J. D. Absher (Eds.), Recreation Visitor Research: Studies of Diversity, (123-137). General Technical Report PSW-GTR-210. U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.

Burroughs, E. L., Peck, L. E., Sharpe, P. A., Granner, M. L., Bryant, C. A., & Fields, R. (2006). Using focus groups in the consumer research phase of a social marketing program to promote moderate-intensity physical activity and walking trail use in Sumter County, South Carolina. Preventing Chronic Disease, 3(1),1-13.

Byrne, J. (2012). When green is White: The cultural politics of race, nature and social exclusion in a Los Angeles urban national park. Geoforum, 43(3), 595-611.

Carson, R. L. (1998). The sense of wonder. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Charles, C., Louv, R., Bodner, L., Guns, B., & Stahl, D. (2008). Children and nature 2008: A report on the movement to reconnect children to the natural world. Santa Fe, NM: Children and Nature Network. Retrieved from http://www.recpro.org/assets/Library/Children_in_Nature/cnn_2008_report.pdf

Chavez, D. J. (2002). Adaptive management in outdoor recreation: Serving Hispanics in southern California. Western Journal of Applied Forestry, 17(3), 129-133.

Chavez, D.J. (2005). Natural areas and urban populations: Communication and environmental education challenges and actions in outdoor recreation. Journal of Forestry, 103(8), 407-410.

Chawla, L. (2015). Benefits of nature contact for children. Journal of Planning Literature, 30 (4), 433-452.

Chawla, L., Keena, K., Pevec, I., & Stanley, E. (2014). Green schoolyards as havens from stress and resources for resilience in childhood and adolescence. Health and Place, 28, 1–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2014.03.001

Cheng, J. C. & Monroe, M. C. (2012). Connection to nature: Children’s affective attitude toward nature. Environment & Behavior, 44(1), 31-49.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Beyond boredom and anxiety. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Eaton, D. K., Kann, L., Kinchen, S., Ross, J., Hawkins, J., Harris, W. A., Lowry, R., McManus, T., Chyen, D., Shanklin, S., Lim, C., Grunbaum, J. A. & Wechsler, H.

(2006). Youth risk behavior surveillance. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report:

Surveillance Summaries, 5(55), 1-108.

Edwards, M. B., Theriault, D. S., Shores, K. A., & Melton, K. M. (2014). Promoting youth physical activity in rural southern communities: Practitioner perceptions of environmental opportunities and barriers. The Journal of Rural Health, 30(4), 379-387.

Faber Taylor, A., & Kuo, F. E. (2011). Could exposure to everyday green spaces help treat ADHD? Evidence from children’s play settings. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-being, 3, 281–303.

Floyd, M. F., Bocarro, J. N., Smith, W. R., Baran, P. K., Moore, R. C., Cosco, N. G., Edwards, M.B., Suau, L.J., & Fang, K. (2011). Park-based physical activity among children and adolescents. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 41(3), 258-265.

Fitzgibbon, M., Gans, K., Evans, W., Viswanath, K., Johnson-Taylor, W., et al. (2007). Communicating healthy eating: Lessons learned and future directions. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 39(2), S63-S71.

Garcia, R., Rawson, Z., Yellott, M. & Zaldana, C. (2009). Economic stimulus, green space, and equal justice. Policy report by The City Project. Retrieved from http://www.cityprojectca.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/stimulus-green-space-justice-200904294.pdf

Gray, C., Gibbons, R., Larouche, R., Sandseter, E. B. H., Bienenstock, A., Brussoni, M., Chabot, G., Herrington, S., Janssen I., Pickett , W., Power, M., Stanger, N., Sampson, M., & Tremblay, M.S. (2015). What is the relationship between outdoor time and physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness in children? A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(6), 6455-6474.

Hinds, J., & Sparks, P. (2008). Engaging with the natural environment: The role of affective connection and identity. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 28(2), 109-120.

Holtgraves, T. (2004). Social desirability and self-reports: Testing models of socially desirable responding. Society for Personality and Social Psychology, 30(2), 161-172.

Houge Mackenzie, S., & Son, J. S. (2013). Fostering self-determination and flow in

physical activity and science via outdoor adventure. Paper presented on October 10, 2013 at the Leisure Research Symposium; National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) conference. Houston, Texas, USA.

Houge Mackenzie, S., & Son, J. S. (2014). Promoting STEM education and physical activity through outdoor adventure programs. Paper presented on October 15, 2014 Leisure Research Symposium; National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) conference. Charlotte, NC, USA.

Jackson, E. L. (Ed.) (2005). Constraints to leisure. State College, PA: Venture Publishing.

Jackson L. E., Daniel J., McCorkle B., Sears A., & Bush K. F. (2013). Linking ecosystem services and human health: The Eco-Health Relationship Browser. International Journal of Public Health, 58, 747–755.

Kaczynski, A. T., & Henderson, K. A. (2007). Environmental correlates of physical activity: A review of evidence about parks and recreation. Leisure Sciences, 29(4), 315-354.

Kanter, R.M. (2015). Move: Putting America’s infrastructure back in the lead. New York: Norton.

Kross, E., Verduyn, P., Demiralp, E., Park, J., Lee, D., Lin, N., Shablack, H., Jonides, J., & Ybarra, O. (2013). Facebook use predicts declines in subjective well-being in young adults. PLoS ONE, 8(8): e69841. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0069841

Kuo, F.E. (2001). Coping with poverty: Impacts of environment and attention in the inner city. Environment and Behavior, 33(5), 5-34.

Larson, L. R., Green, G. T., & Cordell, H. K. (2011). Childrens’ time outdoors: Results and implications of the National Kids Survey. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 29(2), 1-20.

Leseman, P., van Kruistum, C., & de Haan, M. (2014). Youth media lifestyles. Human Communication Research, 40(4), 508-529.

Loukaitou-Sideris, A. (2006). Southern California environmental report card 2006:

Urban parks. Los Angeles: UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. Retrieved from http://www.ioe.ucla.edu/media/files/Urban-Parks-2006.pdf

Mayer, A., & Harrison, J. (2012). Safe eats: An evaluation of the use of social media for food safety education. Journal of Food Protection, 75(8), 1453-1463.

McCasland, M. (2005). Mobile marketing to millennials. Young Consumers, 6(3), 8-13.

Montgomery, K., & Chester, J. (2009). Interactive food and beverage marketing: Targeting adolescents in the digital age. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45(3), S18-S29.

National Park Service. (2016). National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics. Retrieved from https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/Reports/National.

National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). (n.d.). Parks and recreation in underserved areas: A public health perspective. Retrieved May 20, 2016 from http://www.nrpa.org/uploadedFiles/nrpa.org/Publications_and_Research/Research/Papers/Parks-Rec-Underserved-Areas.pdf

Norris, S. (2015). Messaging: Why consistency is everything. NonProfit Pro, 13(6), 24.

Nowak, G., & Phelps, J. (1994). Conceptualizing the integrated marketing communications phenomenon: An examination of its impact on advertising practices and its implications for advertising research. Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, 16(1), 49-66.

Outdoor Foundation. (2015). Outdoor Recreation Participation Report. Retrieved May 29, 2016 from http://www.outdoorfoundation.org/ research.participation.html

Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Pergams, O. R. W. & Zaradic, P. A. (2008). Evidence for a fundamental and pervasive shift away from nature-based recreation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(7), 2295-2300.

Pew Research Center. (2013). Teens and Technology 2013. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/old-media//Files/Reports/

/PIP_TeensandTechnology2013.pdf

Powell, L. M., Slater, S., & Chaloupka, F. J. (2004). The relationship between community physical activity settings and race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Evidence-Based Preventive Medicine, 1(2), 135-44.

Pozzoboni, K. M., Sikand, T., Reist, S., & Roberts, N. S. (2014). Youth, the outdoors, and media: Awakening and strengthening the connection of urban youth to the land. Project overview and review of literature. Retrieved from: http://userwww.sfsu.edu/nroberts/documents/research/USFS-SFSU_UrbanYouthOutdoors_MediaStudy_LitReview_Final-070114.pdf

Pretty, J., Peacock, J., Sellens, M., & Griffin, M. (2005). The mental and physical health outcomes of green exercise. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 15(5), 319-337.

Randolph, W., & Viswanath, K. (2004). Lessons learned from public health mass media campaigns: Marketing health in a crowded media world. Annual Review of Public Health, 25(1), 419-437.

Richmond, T. K., Hayward, R. A., Gahagan, S., Field, A. E., & Heisler, M. (2006). Can school income and racial/ethnic composition explain the racial/ethnic disparity in adolescent physical activity participation? Pediatrics, 117(6), 2158-2166.

Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C. M., & Ormston, R. (Eds.). (2013). Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers (2nd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage.

Rideout, V. J., Foehr, U. G., & Roberts, D. F. (2010). Generation M2: Media in the lives of 8-18 year-olds. Menlo Park, CA: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

Retrieved from http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/8010.pdf

Ries, A. V., Voorhees, C. C., Roche, K. M., Gittelsohn, J., Yan, A. F., & Astone, N. M. (2009). A quantitative examination of park characteristics related to park use and physical activity among urban youth. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45(3), S64-S70.

Rigolon, A., & Flohr, T. L. (2014). Access to parks for youth as an environmental justice issue: access inequalities and possible solutions. Buildings, 4(2), 69-94.

Rodriguez, M. Brenman, M., Lado, M. E, & Garcia, R. (2014). Using civil rights tools to address health disparities. Policy report by The City Project. Retrieved from http://www.cityprojectca.org/publications/documents/Using_Civil_Rights_Tools_to_Address_Health_Disparities_2015.pdf

Rosen, L. D., Lim, A. F., Felt, J., Carrier, L. M., Cheever, N. A., Lara-Ruiz, J. M., Mendoza, J.S., & Rokkum, J. (2014). Media and technology use predicts ill-being among children, preteens and teenagers independent of the negative health impacts of exercise and eating habits. Computers in Human Behavior, 35, 364-375.

Ryan, R. M., Weinstein, N., Bernstein, J., Brown, K. W., Mastella, L., & Gagne, M. (2010). Vitalizing effects of being outdoors and in nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30, 159–168.

Schaefer, L., Plotnikoff, R. C., Majumdar, S. R., Mollard, R., Woo, M., Sadman, R., Rinaldi, R.L., Boule, N., Torrance, B., Ball, G.D.C., Veugelers, P., Wozny, P., McCargar, L., Downs, S., Lewanczuk, R., Gleddie, D., & McGavock, J. (2014). Outdoor time is associated with physical activity, sedentary time, and cardiorespiratory fitness in youth. The Journal of Pediatrics, 165(3), 516-521.

Sherer, P. (2006). The benefits of parks: Why America needs more city parks and open space. The Trust for Public Land. San Francisco.

Shinew, K. J., Floyd, M. F., & Parry, D. (2004). Understanding the relationship between race and leisure activities and constraints: Exploring an alternative framework. Leisure Sciences, 26, 181-199.

Sister, M. C. E. (2007). Do blacks and browns have less green? Examining the distribution of park and open space resources in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan region (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest.

Stodolksa, M., Shinew, K. J., Floyd, M. F, & Walker, G. J. (2014). Race, ethnicity, and leisure: Perspectives on research, theory, and practice. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Solly, K. S. (2014). Risk, challenge and adventure in the early years: A practical guide to exploring and extending learning outdoors. New York: Routledge.

Thompson, C. W., Roe, J., Aspinall, P., Mitchell, R., Clow, A., & Miller, D. (2012). More green space is linked to less stress in deprived communities: Evidence from salivary cortisol patterns. Landscape and Urban Planning, 105(3), 221-229.

Trainor, S., Delfabbro, P., Anderson, S., & Winefield, A. (2010). Leisure activities and adolescent psychological well-being. Journal of Adolescence, 33(1), 173-186.

Tyrväinen, L., Ojala, A., Korpela, K., Lanki, T., Tsunetsugu, Y., & Kagawa, T. (2014). The influence of urban green environments on stress relief measures: A field experiment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 38, 1-9.

United States Census Bureau. (2010). 2010 Census Demographic Profiles. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/2010census/data

Vahlberg, V. (2010). Fitting into their lives: A survey of three studies about youth media usage. Retrieved from http://www.americanpressinstitute.org/docs/foundation/research/ fitting_into_their_lives.pdf

Vyas, A. N., Landry, M., Schnider, M., Rojas, A. M., & Wood, S. F. (2012). Public health interventions: Reaching Latino adolescents via short message service and social media. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 14(4), e99. doi:10.2196/jmir.2178

Wardle, J., & Steptoe, A. (2003). Socioeconomic differences in attitudes and beliefs about healthy lifestyles. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 57(6), 440-443.

Wells, N. M. & Lekies, K. S. (2006). Nature and the life course: Pathways from childhood nature experiences to adult environmentalism. Children, Youth, and Environments, 16(1), 1-24.

Wen, M., Zhang, X., Harris, C. D., Holt, J. B., & Croft, J. B. (2013). Spatial disparities in the distribution of parks and green spaces in the USA. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 45(1), 18-27.

Wilhelm Stanis, S., Schneider, I. E., Chavez, D. J., & Shinew, K. J. (2009). Visitor constraints to physical activity in park and recreation areas: Differences by race and ethnicity. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 27(3), 78-95.

Williams, S., & Koepke, C. (2006). Using multiple methods to identify theme lines for media marketing campaigns to promote Medicare information sources. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 23(6), 351-356.

Wolch, J. R., Byrne, J., & Newell, J. P. (2014). Urban green space, public health, and environmental justice: The challenge of making cities ‘just green enough’. Landscape and Urban Planning, 125, 234-244.