Attention “Blinks” Differently for Plants and Animals

Balas, Benjamin; Momsen, Jennifer L.

doi:10.1187/cbe.14-05-0080

Cited by 102 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…These hypotheses are consistent with the patterns of visual detection biases (Balas & Momsen ) and with evidence that there is a tendency for children to recognize nonhuman animals as living earlier than they recognize plants as living. Young children's conceptions of the natural world are initially anthropocentric (Carey ), and they struggle with the concept of plants being alive (Richards & Siegler , ; Bebbington ).…”

Section: Assessing the Evidence For Plant Blindnesssupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Animal images were recalled significantly more than plant images, and this trend was maintained for both botany and psychology students. Most recently, Balas and Momsen (2014) used experimental techniques to test whether plant blindness is due to difficulties in seeing plants. They proposed the phenomenon may reflect differences in visual memory, suggesting that plant images may be less robustly encoded than animal images.…”

Section: Assessing the Evidence For Plant Blindnessmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Plant blindness and the implications for plant conservation

Balding

Williams

2016

Conservation Biology

225

146

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Plant conservation initiatives lag behind and receive considerably less funding than animal conservation projects. We explored a potential reason for this bias: a tendency among humans to neither notice nor value plants in the environment. Experimental research and surveys have demonstrated higher preference for, superior recall of, and better visual detection of animals compared with plants. This bias has been attributed to perceptual factors such as lack of motion by plants and the tendency of plants to visually blend together but also to cultural factors such as a greater focus on animals in formal biological education. In contrast, ethnographic research reveals that many social groups have strong bonds with plants, including nonhierarchical kinship relationships. We argue that plant blindness is common, but not inevitable. If immersed in a plant-affiliated culture, the individual will experience language and practices that enhance capacity to detect, recall, and value plants, something less likely to occur in zoocentric societies. Therefore, conservation programs can contribute to reducing this bias. We considered strategies that might reduce this bias and encourage plant conservation behavior. Psychological research demonstrates that people are more likely to support conservation of species that have human-like characteristics and that support for conservation can be increased by encouraging people to practice empathy and anthropomorphism of nonhuman species. We argue that support for plant conservation may be garnered through strategies that promote identification and empathy with plants.

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Section: Assessing the Evidence For Plant Blindnesssupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Assessing the Evidence For Plant Blindnessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant blindness and the implications for plant conservation

Balding

Williams

2016

Conservation Biology

225

146

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…This is why animals receive increased attention by humans (the animate monitoring hypothesis, see New, Cosmides, & Tooby, 2007). Indeed, animals are visually preferred by two-day-old babies more than non-biological targets (Simion et al 2008) and are detected more rapidly than plants (Balas & Momsen, 2014). Predatory animals are detected faster than flowers or mushrooms (LoBue & DeLoache, 2008;Öhman, Flykt, & Esteves, 2001) and tracked by the eyes for a longer time than non-predatory animals (Penkunas & Coss, 2013;Yorzinski, Penkunas, Platt, & Coss, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animals in Dangerous Postures Enhance Learning, but Decrease Willingness to Protect Animals

Prokop

Fančovičová

2017

EURASIA J MATH SCI T

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Animals are the most prevalent subjects for photographs in science textbooks. Many of them are potentially dangerous to humans, and visual exposure to potential threat can influence learning outcomes as well as emotional attachment to these animals. We experimentally investigated the influence of animal posture (aggressive-looking vs. neutral-looking) on 10 -13-year-old pupils' information retention and willingness to support the protection of these animals. We found that information placed below aggressive-looking animals was retained significantly better than information placed below neutral-looking animals. Survival-relevant information was retained better than survival-irrelevant information. Willingness to protect aggressive-looking animals was lower than willingness to protect neutral-looking animals. This suggests that aggressivelooking pictures receive stronger attention, but do not distract pupils from learning. Aggressive animals may have a negative influence on animal conservation efforts.

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“…In addition, our study was based on hands on, outdoors activities using growing plant material rather than images. Targeted plant‐based biodiversity activities where students search for, identify and investigate local flora increases recognition and appreciation for plants increasing the likelihood that students will see plants in their daily lives (Balas & Momsen, ; Freeman et al, ; Lindemann‐Matthies, ). Balas & Momsen () argue this can be applied to undergraduate teaching using campus flora as we have done here.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Increasing student engagement is widely accepted as a core component to increasing learning (Kuh, Cruce, Shoup, Kinzie, & Gonyea, ; Prince, ). Furthermore, in the context of plant blindness, as discussed above, longer engagement times with plant material improves future plant awareness (Balas & Momsen, ; Lindemann‐Matthies, ). We found our students were highly engaged with the activity—and aware of their own level of engagement, demonstrated by their comments, our observations (including demonstrator comments) and the use of the app leading up to the exam.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hunting for answers: Linking lectures with the real world using a mobile treasure hunt app

Hartman

Lydon

Rasmussen

2019

Plants People Planet

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Societal Impact Statement Plants underpin our society providing food, fuel, medicines, clean air and water, positive mental health, and are central to biodiversity conservation. Despite this importance and an increasing need for people with plant‐identification skills, many societies are becoming increasingly ignorant to the species with which they interact. To benefit both our undergraduates and the society they will enter, we applied mobile technology to improve plant identification and appreciation, while providing opportunities to practice transferable team work and verbal communication skills. Encouraging 'plant vision' will improve conservation efforts while increasing personal connections with green spaces, leading to mental health improvements for society. Summary Despite the importance of plants to human civilization, many societies are becoming increasingly ignorant to the plants that inhabit their surrounding environment. A phenomenon known as ‘plant blindness’. To address plant blindness in undergraduate students we designed an outdoor activity using a mobile phone app. Our aims were to identify the level of ‘plant blindness’ in our students; investigate engagement with the app and activity; determine if we can raise awareness of links between lecture content and real world scenarios; and assess the student experience as a result of the activity in large classes. The app chosen was ActionBound. Students were asked to find and photograph local examples of four plant families, along with identifying physiological benefits of features covered in lectures. Two different first year classes were exposed to this activity – Plant Science and Life on Earth. The Plant Science students (60% success rate for three families; 55 students) were less plant blind than Life on Earth students (less than 44% success rate in any of the four families; 200 students). Students engaged well with the activity with all groups submitting sensible attempts at the responses. Most students reported that the activity increased links to lecture material and all but one student reported positive experiences. Our students found the treasure hunt learning environment is a fun way to engage with the plant topics covered in lectures. In future iterations, we will more explicitly explain the links to potential careers and will address some of the logistical challenges faced in this first cohort.

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Attention “Blinks” Differently for Plants and Animals

Cited by 102 publications

References 32 publications

Plant blindness and the implications for plant conservation

Plant blindness and the implications for plant conservation

Animals in Dangerous Postures Enhance Learning, but Decrease Willingness to Protect Animals

Hunting for answers: Linking lectures with the real world using a mobile treasure hunt app

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