Self-Transcendence and Nature Connectedness as Predictors of Healthy Digital Engagement
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63345/ujhmds.v2.i3.304Keywords:
self-transcendence, nature connectedness, healthy digital engagement, digital well-being, screen time, self-regulationAbstract
Digital technologies are now part of daily life, and research has shifted from simply measuring how much people use screens to asking how they use them. This study examined whether self-transcendence and nature connectedness predict healthy digital engagement, defined as intentional, self-regulated, and balanced use of digital devices. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 412 adults aged 18 to 45 years. Participants completed the Self-Transcendence Scale, the Connectedness to Nature Scale, and a Healthy Digital Engagement Scale, and reported their daily screen time. Self-transcendence (r = .38, p < .001) and nature connectedness (r = .43, p < .001) were both positively correlated with healthy digital engagement. Hierarchical regression showed that, after controlling for age, gender, and daily screen time, self-transcendence explained an additional 10% of variance in healthy digital engagement, and nature connectedness explained a further 7%. The final model accounted for 30% of the variance. Mediation analysis showed that nature connectedness partially mediated the relationship between self-transcendence and healthy digital engagement (indirect effect = 0.18, 95% CI [0.11, 0.26]). The findings suggest that people who orient beyond the self and feel connected to the natural world tend to use technology more intentionally. These dispositions may be useful targets for digital well-being interventions.
References
1. Andreassen, C. S., Billieux, J., Griffiths, M. D., Kuss, D. J., Demetrovics, Z., Mazzoni, E., & Pallesen, S. (2016). The relationship between addictive use of social media and video games and symptoms of psychiatric disorders: A large-scale cross-sectional study. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 30(2), 252–262. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000160
2. Capaldi, C. A., Dopko, R. L., & Zelenski, J. M. (2014). The relationship between nature connectedness and happiness: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 976. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00976
3. Hayes, A. F. (2018). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
4. Hunt, M. G., Marx, R., Lipson, C., & Young, J. (2018). No more FOMO: Limiting social media decreases loneliness and depression. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 37(10), 751–768. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2018.37.10.751
5. Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/0272-4944(95)90001-2
6. Kardefelt-Winther, D. (2014). A conceptual and methodological critique of internet addiction research: Towards a model of compensatory internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 31, 351–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.059
7. Kwon, M., Kim, D.-J., Cho, H., & Yang, S. (2013). The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and validation of a short version for adolescents. PLoS ONE, 8(12), e83558. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558
8. Levenson, M. R., Jennings, P. A., Aldwin, C. M., & Shiraishi, R. W. (2005). Self-transcendence: Conceptualization and measurement. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 60(2), 127–143. https://doi.org/10.2190/XRXM-FYRA-7U0X-GRC0
9. Mayer, F. S., & Frantz, C. M. (2004). The connectedness to nature scale: A measure of individuals' feeling in community with nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 24(4), 503–515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2004.10.001
10. Nisbet, E. K., Zelenski, J. M., & Murphy, S. A. (2009). The nature relatedness scale: Linking individuals' connection with nature to environmental concern and behavior. Environment and Behavior, 41(5), 715–740. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916508318748
11. Orben, A., & Przybylski, A. K. (2019). The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(2), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0506-1
12. Piff, P. K., Dietze, P., Feinberg, M., Stancato, D. M., & Keltner, D. (2015). Awe, the small self, and prosocial behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), 883–899. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000018
13. Przybylski, A. K., Murayama, K., DeHaan, C. R., & Gladwell, V. (2013). Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1841–1848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.02.014
14. Reed, P. G. (1991a). Toward a nursing theory of self-transcendence: Deductive reformulation using developmental theories. Advances in Nursing Science, 13(4), 64–77. https://doi.org/10.1097/00012272-199106000-00008
15. Reed, P. G. (1991b). Self-transcendence and mental health in oldest-old adults. Nursing Research, 40(1), 5–11. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006199-199101000-00002
16. Richardson, M., Dobson, J., Abson, D. J., Lumber, R., Hunt, A., Young, R., & Moorhouse, B. (2020). Applying the pathways to nature connectedness at a societal scale: A leverage points perspective. Ecosystems and People, 16(1), 387–401. https://doi.org/10.1080/26395916.2020.1844296
17. Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
18. Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018). Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study. Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.003
19. Yaden, D. B., Haidt, J., Hood, R. W., Jr., Vago, D. R., & Newberg, A. B. (2017). The varieties of self-transcendent experience. Review of General Psychology, 21(2), 143–160. https://doi.org/10.1037/gpr0000102
