Moss, Andrew, Jensen, Eric and Gusset, Markus (2017) Probing the link between biodiversity-related knowledge and self-reported pro-conservation behaviour in a global survey of zoo visitors. Conservation Letters, 10 (1). pp. 33-40. doi:10.1111/conl.12233

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Abstract

Many environmental communication interventions are built on the assumption that increased knowledge will lead to changes in proenvironment behaviors. Our study probes the link between biodiversity-related knowledge and self-reported proconservation behavior, based on the largest and most international study of zoo visitors ever conducted. In total, 6,357 visitors to 30 zoos from 19 countries around the globe participated in the study. Biodiversity understanding and knowledge of actions to help protect biodiversity were significantly related, but only 0.6% of the variation in knowledge of actions to help protect biodiversity could be explained by those same respondents’ biodiversity understanding. Biodiversity understanding was only the sixth most important variable in significantly predicting knowledge of actions to help protect biodiversity. Moreover, biodiversity understanding was the least important variable of those that were significantly related to self-reported proconservation behavior. Our study indicates that knowledge is a real, but relatively minor, factor in predicting whether members of the public – zoo visitors in this case – will know about specific proenvironment behaviors they can take, let alone whether they will actually undertake such behaviors.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Sociology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Zoo visitors -- Attitudes, Biodiversity conservation, Aquariums , Environmental education, Questionnaires
Journal or Publication Title:	Conservation Letters
Publisher:	Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
ISSN:	1755-263X
Official Date:	January 2017
Dates:	Date Event January 2017 Published 8 February 2016 Available 13 January 2016 Accepted 30 July 2015 Submitted
Date of first compliant deposit:	10 October 2016
Volume:	10
Number:	1
Page Range:	pp. 33-40
DOI:	10.1111/conl.12233
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
Funder:	Switzerland. Mava Stiftung für Naturschutz [Mava Foundation for Nature Conservation]

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