An Evaluation of Information Meetings as a Tool for Addressing Fear of Large Carnivores |
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| Authors: | Maria Johansson Jens Frank Ole-Gunnar Støen Anders Flykt |
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| Institution: | 1. Environmental Psychology, Department of Architecture and the Built Environment, Lund University, Lund, Swedenmaria.johansson@mpe.lth.se;3. Wildlife Damage Centre, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden;4. Department of Ecology and Natural Resources Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, ?s, Norway;5. Department of Psychology, Mid Sweden University, ?stersund, Sweden |
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| Abstract: | Managing authorities in Scandinavia arrange public information meetings when members of the public express fear because wolves or brown bears approach human settlements. This study aimed to increase the understanding of the potential effect of information meetings on self-reported fear of wolves and brown bears. In total, 198 participants completed questionnaires before and after the information meetings. Nine follow-up interviews were held 1 year later. The quantitative analyses revealed that participants who found the information credible reported a significant increase in social trust and a decrease in vulnerability and fear. The qualitative analyses pointed to the importance of information content and meta-communication, for example, nonverbal cues. It is proposed that, among participants who find the information credible, information meetings may change the appraisal of wolves and brown bears, and therefore they might prove useful as an intervention to address fear of these animals. |
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| Keywords: | Brown bears fear information interventions wolves |
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