Key Takeaways
- Personal experience leads the way: Sixty-one percent of Americans say that their personal experiences are most influential in shaping their views on nature, followed by their families (43%).
- A strategic opportunity: As Americans are most influenced by their personal experiences in nature, personal storytelling becomes a powerful tool for engagement.
- Emotionally resonant campaigns to inspire action: Campaigns that reflect how nature touches everyday life and evoke past experiences and positive emotions are more likely to inspire meaningful participation and advocacy.
The 2025 Connected by Nature: What Unites Americans report by GlobeScan and World Wildlife Fund reveals a compelling truth: people connect most deeply with nature when it feels personal. Sixty-one percent of Americans say that their personal experiences are most influential in shaping their views on nature, followed by their family (43%), moral standards (37%), faith/religion (25%), and education (23%).
When asked which feelings they associate most with being in nature, Americans say they feel relaxation and calm (71%), joy (49%), and gratitude (41%).
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Research shows that when nature is portrayed as a personal and emotional experience, individuals relate to it more deeply. This emotional resonance fosters a stronger sense of connection, which can lead to increased environmental awareness and participation.
For NGOs and campaigners, this insight presents a powerful opportunity: to move beyond broad, generic appeals and embrace storytelling that reflects how nature touches everyday life. Whether through memories of childhood hikes, moments of calm in a local park, or cherished family traditions, these relatable and emotionally compelling narratives make meaningful engagement and action possible.
Explore GlobeScan and World Wildlife Fund’s 2025 Connected by Nature report for insights that can help organizations and decision-makers inspire collective action, build public will, and create lasting change to preserve nature for future generations. This research was carried out in July 2025 through a nationally representative online survey of 2,000 adults in the USA. The survey was designed by GlobeScan and World Wildlife Fund.
Survey Question: Which of the following are most influential in shaping your views on nature? Please select up to three.
