The social stereotypes of wolves and brown bears

Large carnivores are challenging to conserve because people are ambivalent. This research analyzed the social perception of wolves and brown bears from a novel psychological approach rarely used within conservation: animal species stereotypes (category-based generalizations). Spanish college student...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Sevillano Triguero, Verónica, Talayero, Fernando, López-Bao, José Vicente, Estrella-Aguirre, Sara
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Repositorio:Biblos-e Archivo. Repositorio Institucional de la UAM
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.uam.es:10486/712683
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10486/712683
https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10871209.2022.2036392
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:brown bear
conservation biology
intergroup relations
large carnivores
social psychology
social stereotype
wolf
Psicología
Descripción
Sumario:Large carnivores are challenging to conserve because people are ambivalent. This research analyzed the social perception of wolves and brown bears from a novel psychological approach rarely used within conservation: animal species stereotypes (category-based generalizations). Spanish college students ascribed 17 characteristics to wolves (Study 1, N = 144 participants) and 18 to brown bears (Study 2, N = 199). Four domains–Physical (e.g., beautiful) Species-related (carnivorous), Cognitive (cunning), and Social (dangerous)–captured the stereotype content of both species, with the Social (Physical) domain being more relevant for wolves and bears. Results indicated that people a) identified stereotypes for large carnivores, as they do for people; and b) held ambivalent stereotypes (including positive and negative characteristics). Findings extend the stereotype content model and can inform the conservation of large carnivores in the 21st century