Conservation Social Science Flashcards
Social–Ecological System
The complex, integrated and linked systems of people and nature, emphasizing that humans are a part of nature.
Social-ecological systems contain:
(i) resource systems
(e.g., a park);
(ii) resource units
(e.g., trees);
(iii) governance systems
(e.g., the government and other organizations that manage the park, the specific rules related to the use of the park, and how these rules are made); and
(iv) users
(e.g., individuals who use the park).
(Gann et al, 2019; Ostrom, 2009); Stern, 2018)
Tragedy of the Commons
A common resource or “commons” is any resource, such as water or land, that provides users with tangible benefits but which nobody has an exclusive claim.
The tragedy of the commons is an economic theory claiming that individuals tend to exploit shared resources so that demand outweighs supply, and it becomes unavailable for the whole. Individuals choose to use as much of the resource as possible while it lasts.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/tragedy-of-the-commons.asp
Why study conservation social science?
Environmental problems are people problems.
Even the most ingenious technical solutions must be accepted and adopted by governments, corporations, and citizens to be effective so need to understand how people will adopt.
Without it, we are left to our own intuitions and biases about why a particular effort should work or not, i.e., helps us understand why it’s actually working or not.
(Bennett et al, 2017; Stern, 2018)
Attitude
A relatively enduring and general evaluation of an object, person, group, issue, or concept on a dimension ranging from negative to positive.
Attitudes provide summary evaluations of target objects and are often assumed to be derived from specific beliefs, emotions, and past behaviours associated with those objects.
https://dictionary.apa.org/attitude
What are the contemporary components of attitudes?
Attitudes can have three components:
1. a cognitive component based on the individual’s beliefs,
2. an affective component based on the individual’s emotions, and
3. a behavioural component based on how the individual is likely to act towards the topic.
(Weiten & McCann, 2019)
What are the dimensions of environmental attitudes?
Generally considered to have two dimensions: preservation and utilization.
Preservation refers to keeping the environment in its natural state whereas utilization refers to the environment’s purpose being for human use.
(Milfont & Duckitt, 2010)
What are some factors that influence attitudes?
Age, gender, socioeconomic status, nation, urban-rural residence, religion, politics, values, personality, experience, education, and knowledge.
(Gifford & Sussman, 2012)
Value
The worth, usefulness, or importance attached to something.
https://dictionary.apa.org/value
Why is predicting behaviour so difficult?
Models show that behaviours are complex and non-linear, are shaped by many different factors that all have different weighting in determining the final actual behaviour.
(Stern, 2018)
What determines pro-environmental behaviour?
It’s a mix of all the models plus some.
- Cost-benefit analysis - theory of planned behaviour - things that make you feed good, are convenient, and require little effort or discomfort are usually done.
- Moral and normative concerns - norm activation model and value-belief-norm theory - what you think you should do.
- Affect - If it’s pleasurable, you’ll do it.
- Context - same as constraints in TPB - if resources are available to do it then likely will.
- Habits - people are often stuck in their habits even if they know they’re bad.
(Steg & Vlek, 2009)
What theoretical models are most frequently applied for explaining pro-environmental behaviour?
Norm-Activation Model (NAM)
Theory of Planned Behaviour
(Bamberg & Moser, 2007)
Norm-Activation Model (NAM)
The basic premise of the NAM is that moral or personal norms are direct determinants of pro-social behaviour.
According to the theory, an individual must
(a) be aware of the consequences of a potential action (or inaction) upon something they care about and
(b) accept personal responsibility for those consequences.
In these cases, a personal norm becomes a moral obligation that spurs action.
(Bamberg & Moser, 2007; Stern, 2018)
Value-Belief-Norm Theory of Pro-Environmental Behaviour
Builds upon the Norm Activation Theory to explain the drivers of pro-environmental behaviour specifically.
According to the theory, an individual’s values give rise to his or her general beliefs about an issue—in this case, the environment.
General environmental beliefs influence the degree to which a person might recognize a problem and acknowledge its consequences, as well as the degree to which they might be willing to recognize their own role in either contributing to or solving the problem. As such, they influence the “activation” of personal norms and subsequent behaviours.
(Stern, 2018)
Which three values does the Value-Belief-Norm Theory of Pro-Environmental Behaviour include?
Biospheric
Egoistic
Altruistic
(Stern, 2018)
Biospheric Value
Gives relative weight to environmental protection and non-human species in decision making.
(Stern, 2018)
Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB)
The theory suggests that a person’s intentions to perform a specific behaviour are based upon three types of evaluations they make. These are labeled attitude toward the behaviour, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control.
Subjective evaluations are based on beliefs. These evaluations predict intentions. Circumstances may prevent intentions from being carried out (intervening factors).
(Stern, 2018)
