Green spaces and social bonds: Investigating associations of parks and greenness with online social connectedness (via Facebook) across the United States

Natural environments have the potential to encourage in-person social interactions, but the extent to which these interactions influence online social networks remains uncertain. This study addresses this gap by examining the relationship between Facebook social connectedness and both the greenness and park coverage of 20,867 zip code tabulated areas ("zip codes") across the continental US. Using linear mixed-effects models adjusted for sociodemographic factors and urbanicity, the findings indicate that residents in greener zip codes are more likely to have online friends within the same zip code. Conversely, residents of zip codes with higher park coverage tend to have fewer online friends within their zip code. However, both measures of natural environments exhibit limited explanatory power regarding social connectedness, highlighting the need for careful interpretation and cautious generalization of these results. The impact of natural environments on online social networks is likely multifaceted and may be better understood through additional measures beyond the mere quantity of natural spaces.