2013/02/25 by Kristina Slagle, Kristina M. Slagle, Ryan M. Zajac +6 · 103 citations
Environmental Science · Mathematics · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Analysis of variance #Animal and Plant Science Education #Applied psychology #Business #Computer science #Control (management) #Environmental Education and Sustainability #Mathematics #Perception #Political science #Psychology #Public relations #Significant difference #Social and Intergroup Psychology #Social psychology #Stakeholder #Statistics #Variance (accounting)
paper · doi:10.1002/jwmg.515
published in Journal of Wildlife Management 77(4), 863-869 (Wiley)
openalex publication_date 2013/02/25 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
Abstract The present study examined the feasibility of experimentally manipulating perceptions of benefit and control via communications to increase public acceptance of bears. We assigned subjects to either a pseudo‐control (basic bear biology message) or 1 of 3 treatments adding a benefits message, a perceived control message, or combining messages about both benefits and perceived control. Within‐subjects pre–post t ‐tests showed a significant increase in acceptance among those in the benefits and combined treatments. A between‐subjects 1‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a significant difference between the perceived control and combined treatments (where the perceived control message actually decreased acceptance). Our results highlight the importance of including information about benefits stemming from the presence of black bears, as adding this information tended to increase stakeholder acceptance of black bear populations. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.