In an effort to adjust to global warming the Municipality of Leiden wants to motivate her citizens to take a green garden. Even though there are plenty of campaigns to promote green gardens, most...Show moreIn an effort to adjust to global warming the Municipality of Leiden wants to motivate her citizens to take a green garden. Even though there are plenty of campaigns to promote green gardens, most gardens in Leiden are still grey. This qualitative study examined why people have the garden that they have. This was done through an online survey that was answered by 67 garden owners in Leiden. In addition to the main survey a small quantitative part was added to the study in which the relationship between having a green identity and having a green garden was investigated. The study resulted in a complete overview on how garden owners make use of their garden and what influences them in changing it. What prevents garden owners most from making their garden greener are time, money and know how. Furthermore, a moderately positive correlation was found between a green identity and having a green garden. Further research should examine what moderates this relationship.Show less
Perceptions about one’s social class has social consequences on interactional decision making. Studies have shown that the social class of an interaction partner (i.e., the target) predicts how...Show morePerceptions about one’s social class has social consequences on interactional decision making. Studies have shown that the social class of an interaction partner (i.e., the target) predicts how prosocial one will be towards this target. Lower-class targets elicit greater prosociality than higher-class targets, known as the target class effect. The present study (N = 294) replicated this effect in the US with an online survey. We operationalized social mindfulness (SoMi) as a measure for prosociality, while manipulating target class with information about the target’s position on a social ladder. The objective was to explore fairness and moral perspectives as underlying explanations for the target class effect. We proposed that need-based distributive fairness preference (i.e., taking the needs of others into consideration when allocating resources) and moral identity will facilitate and attenuate the target class effect respectively. Our findings did not support these expectations. Implications, limitations, and future directions are further discussed.Show less
Research has found that zoo visits can enhance conservation intentions. The current research (N = 200) examined possible explanations for this relationship by conducting correlational research in...Show moreResearch has found that zoo visits can enhance conservation intentions. The current research (N = 200) examined possible explanations for this relationship by conducting correlational research in the form of an online survey. It was expected that positive affective responses towards zoo animals would enhance conservation intentions. Positive affective responses, in turn, were expected to be predicted by proximity to the animals, interaction with the animals, and active animal behavior. The results of this study confirmed all these expectations, but also showed that proximity, interaction, and pacing predicted negative affective responses, which in turn led to higher conservation intentions. This study thus provided a new insight, namely that affective responses in general can enhance conservation intentions. Zoos could stimulate affective responses by enriching the animal habitats, so that the animals show more active behavior, or by enabling consumers to get closer to the animals.Show less
Interpretive signage is the most commonly used channel by zoos to deliver conservation messages to visitors. These signs include aspects of animal biology, lifespan and taxonomy. Research to the...Show moreInterpretive signage is the most commonly used channel by zoos to deliver conservation messages to visitors. These signs include aspects of animal biology, lifespan and taxonomy. Research to the effectiveness of interpretive signage in zoos in influencing visitors’ conservation intentions is inconclusive and the link with attention to these signs has not yet been sufficiently investigated. This study examined the relationship between visitors’ attention to signs and conservation intentions and whether this relationship is mediated by visitor’s conservation attitudes. In a correlational design, 200 participants were asked to recall their last zoo visit and answer questions in an online survey. In line with the expectations, the results showed a positive association between visitors’ attention towards interpretive signage and conservation intentions. Visitors’ attitudes towards conservation partially mediated this relationship. It was concluded that when visitors devote attention to on-site interpretive zoo signage, this type of conservation education can be effective in influencing visitors’ intentions towards nature conservation through its influence on attitudes. Possible explanations for the results are discussed and implications for theory and practice are made.Show less
