Engaging Zoo Visitors at Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Exhibits Promotes Positive Attitudes Toward Chimpanzees and Conservation
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2162245 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Lesley E Craig (0000-0003-4547-339X, University of Stirling), Sarah-Jane Vick (0000-0001-8741-9653, University of Stirling) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1-15 |
| Publication date | 2021-01-02 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Anthrozoös (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0892-7936 • E-ISSN: 1753-0377 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/08927936.2021.1874110 |
| OpenAlex | W3127047008 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 41 |
Understanding how visitor engagement with interpretation impacts on their attitudes to conservation is necessary to develop effective zoo-based conservation education. We examined whether facilitating an emotional connection between a visitor and an individual chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) was more successful at enhancing attitudes than standard zoo interpretation. Attitudes were assessed post visit using a 12-item questionnaire on predisposition toward nature, attitudes to chimpanzees, and conservation. Visitors at two chimpanzee exhibits were allocated to an emotion enhancement condition (n = 227) or a control condition (n = 203). At one exhibit, visitors were also allocated to an interactive task (location) without emotional enhancement (n = 69). Participants were also recruited to an online control condition (n = 216). Principal component analyses identified two components labeled as Naturalistic, which refers to interest and affection for wildlife and nature, and Humanistic, which refers to interest and affection for individual animals or species with anthropomorphic characteristics. At one exhibit, both Naturalistic and Humanistic attitudes were significantly more positive following the emotion enhancement condition than for the control condition. At the other exhibit, Naturalistic and Humanistic components did not differ between conditions, and there was no overall difference between online and on-site conditions. While emotional enhancement may be effective in promoting pro-conservation attitudes, this is dependent on contextual factors (e.g., exhibit design and interpretation). Attitudes were also influenced by stable visitor characteristics (pet ownership and zoo membership) and are therefore likely to prove difficult to change, at least during a single zoo visit. Visitor and animal characteristics, and the interpretation of the exhibit all shape the visitor experience; understanding these interactions is important in facilitating effective zoo conservation education
Affection · Animal welfare · Control (management · Developmental psychology · Feeling · Interpretation (philosophy · Naturalism · Troglodytes · Visitor pattern · Animal and Plant Science Education · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Human-Animal Interaction Studies · Psychology · Ecology · Social Psychology
Human preferences for species conservation
Childhood Pet Keeping and Humane Attitudes in Young Adulthood
The big five personality traits and environmental engagement
Four ways five factors are basic
Title unavailable
A cross‐setting study of chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes ) personality structure and development
Why Do We Like or Dislike Animals
Exploring the Influence of Charismatic Characteristics on Flagship Outcomes in Zoo Visitors
Zoo Visitors' Affective Responses to Observing Animal Behaviors
Post-Visit Reinforcement of Zoo Conservation Messages
Investigating the Role of Emotion in Science Center Visitor Learning
Visitors' Perceptions of the Conservation Education Role of Zoos and Aquariums
Conservation learning in wildlife tourism settings
Do zoo visitors come to learn? An internationally comparative, mixed-methods study
Promoting environmentally sustainable attitudes and behaviour through free‐choice learning experiences
Do Zoos and Aquariums Promote Attitude Change in Visitors? A Critical Evaluation of the American Zoo and Aquarium Study
Psychological Mechanisms in the Human Use of Animals
Naturalistic Exhibits May be More Effective Than Traditional Exhibits at Improving Zoo-Visitor Attitudes toward African Apes
Evaluation of Factors Affecting Emotional Responses in Zoo Visitors and the Impact of Emotion on Conservation Mindedness
The Nature Relatedness Scale
Animal Activity and Visitor Learning at the Zoo
The Role of Zoos in Modern Society-A Comparison of Zoos' Reported Priorities and What Visitors Believe They Should Be
Physical Attractiveness of an Animal Species as a Decision Factor for its Preservation
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |