Reported experiences enhance favourable attitudes toward toads

Abstract

There are many factors that influence the formation of attitudes, one of the most crucial ones being education. Positive attitudes toward animals can be effectively accomplished principally by enabling students to directly experience organisms and their environments. The following study presents the development of a Toad Attitude Questionnaire (TAQ). Results were gathered from a sample of 195 primary school students (grades 6-9, ages 11-14). Results show, that students who reported direct experience with animals were more willing to study animals and generally exhibited a more positive attitude toward them. Implications of the study are discussed. © 2011 by ESER.