Increased Neighbor Interaction and Fear of Social Sanctions: Associations with Resident Action to Control the Invasive Little Fire Ant

Abstract

Motivating and sustaining community action to combat invasive species is crucial for reducing the impacts of invasive species on private lands. However, much is still unknown about how organizations seeking to promote natural resource conservation can effectively inspire, support, and help maintain community action over time. To address this gap, we explored factors associated with resident engagement in control of the invasive little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata) in Hawaii, with a focus on the role of neighborhood social capital (i.e. norms, reciprocity, and relations) in affecting action. Based on data derived from a survey of 246 residents and regression models, we found that increased neighbor interaction, fear of social sanctions from neighbors, and several psychosocial variables were associated with resident action to control the little fire ant. We suggest that organizations seeking to motivate resident engagement in invasive species control may benefit from building social norms and enhancing neighborhood interaction.

Motivating landowners to recruit neighbors for private land conservation

“…; Niemiec et al. ). We tested whether microinterventions could motivate model landowners to engage in more recruitment and coordination behaviors, thereby enhancing their conservation achievements across private lands.…”

“…Residents attending BIISC's meetings usually were already concerned about the problem and engaging in conservation action on their property (Niemiec et al. ). The BIISC found it difficult to reach uninvolved community members, and model landowners rarely recruited and coordinated with their neighbors, despite the need for widespread landowner participation (Niemiec et al.…”

“…; Niemiec et al. ). Further, a trade‐off may exist between encouraging recruitment and coordination and encouraging property‐level contributions if landowners have limited time and resources.…”

“…; Niemiec et al. ), and people appear unwilling to discuss environmental issues, even with close friends or family (Geiger & Swim ). It remains unclear how to encourage model landowners to move beyond focusing on their own property to reaching out to their neighbors to further conservation causes.…”

“…However, researchers know little about how to motivate model landowner engagement in such collective practices. Few model landowners teach, recruit, or coordinate with their neighbors for conservation purposes (Niemiec et al 2016;Ma et al 2018;Niemiec et al 2018), and people appear unwilling to discuss environmental issues, even with close friends or family (Geiger & Swim 2016). It remains unclear how to encourage model landowners to move beyond focusing on their own property to reaching out to their neighbors to further conservation causes.…”