Relationships between wildlife value orientations and social identity

Abstract

Wildlife value orientations (WVOs) and social identity are important elements in the wildlife domain and can predict attitudes toward wildlife and wildlife-management-related issues. Therefore, understanding the interrelations of WVOs and social identities is critical to successful wildlife conservation and management. We carried out on-site face-to-face surveys with representatives of four public groups with particular social identities in Greece—the general public (n = 2392), farmers (n = 405), hunters (n = 124) and farmers-hunters (n = 158)—to study variations in WVO types determined based on two basic WVOs, domination and mutualism: traditionalist (high domination, low mutualism), mutualist (low domination, high mutualism), pluralist (high domination and mutualism) and distanced (low domination and mutualism). The general public and farmers were more mutualist and distanced and less traditionalist and pluralist than hunters and farmers-hunters. Female members of the general public and farmers were more mutualist and less traditionalist than males. Younger members of the general public were more mutualist and less traditionalist than older members. WVO types did not significantly vary with residence (rural or urban) in any social identity group. Females, males and all age categories of the general public and farmers were more mutualist and distanced than traditionalist and pluralist. Our findings revealed similarities and differences in WVOs among key social identity groups, suggesting underlying differences in attitudes, and as such should be valuable for reaching consensus in critical but controversial wildlife conservation and management issues.