Water recreationists regularly engage in behavior that can contribute to the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS), which can result in costly consequences for managers. As AIS prevention is more cost-effective than response, educational campaigns are implemented as a preventative management strategy. However, little is known about the efficacy of education campaigns in promoting recreationists' knowledge, personal responsibility, and engagement in behaviors that can prevent AIS spread. This study explored the Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! TM (SAH!) campaign by conducting survey and focus group research with water recreationists' in Illinois and Indiana. Results from the survey research indicate moderate campaign success (55 % were aware of the SAH! campaign), and that awareness is significantly related to increases in knowledge, personal responsibility, and engagement in four of the six recommended control behaviors. Additionally, findings demonstrate that boater-anglers were most aware of the campaign (69 %), most knowledgeable of AIS species, and felt the most personal responsibility for AIS control. However, focus group results demonstrate the need for campaign enhancement, including streamlining campaign messaging and increasing campaign exposure. Policy informed by our recommendations may improve the efficacy of educational campaigns to manage recreation behavior and corresponding environmental impacts among multiple water recreationist groups.
Releases of aquatic organisms-in-trade by aquarists, water gardeners, and outdoor pond owners have been identified as aquatic invasive species vectors within the Laurentian Great Lakes region. The trademarked U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Habitattitude campaign was developed in 2004 to encourage self-regulation by these groups, but little is known about its effects. We surveyed organisms-in-trade hobbyists in the eight Great Lakes states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, USA) to assess their recognition of the Habitattitude campaign and their compliance with the campaign's recommended behaviors for organism purchase and disposal. Awareness of the Habitattitude campaign was low, but hobbyists that identified as both water gardeners and aquarium hobbyists were more aware of the campaign than individuals who participated in one of those hobbies. Engaged hobbyists (high aquatic invasive species awareness, concern, and knowledge) were significantly more likely than passive hobbyists (low aquatic invasive species awareness, concern, and knowledge) to make decisions about disposal of live organisms with the intention of preventing aquatic invasive species spread, were more likely to contact other hobbyists for disposal and handling advice, and were less likely to contact professionals, such as retailers. On the basis of our results, we suggest that compliance with recommended behaviors may be increased by fostering hobbyist networks; creating materials that both explain tangible, negative environmental impacts and list specific prevention behaviors; and disseminating these materials through trusted information sources and venues.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of perceived threat, brand congruence, and social support on consumer coping strategies for a preventative health service. Design/methodology/approach An online survey of 570 women aged over 50 in one Australian state was conducted (users and non-users of the service). The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings A competing models approach reveals that threat on its own is associated with avoidance coping; however, when brand congruence is high, there is an association with active coping. Social support appears to have a buffering effect on threat and is associated positively with active coping and negatively with avoidance coping. Originality/value The study findings suggest that threat appeals should be used with caution in increasing participation in transformative preventative health services due to its double-edged sword effect (increasing both avoidance and active coping). When consumers have social support, this results in active coping and buffers avoidance coping. This research offers useful insights for social marketing and transformative service research.
This study examined the effects of theoretical constructs from the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and value-belief-norm theory (VBN) on intentions to perform purchase and disposal behaviors that help prevent aquatic invasive species (AIS) spread by organisms-in-trade (OIT) hobbyists. More specifically, the goals of this study were to explore (1) the predictive ability of theoretical constructs on intention to perform desired behaviors and (2) differences in the strength of the constructs on future purchase and disposal behaviors. Regression analyses from survey research conducted at OIT events in the Great Lakes region (n = 542) revealed that VBN constructs have direct, positive effects on likelihood of performing future purchase and disposal behaviors; one TPB construct (perceived behavioral control) also predicted likelihood of performing future disposal behaviors. Seemingly unrelated regression results demonstrate differing effects of theoretical constructs between purchase and disposal behaviors. Findings suggest tailoring messages to target specific behaviors.
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