Wildlife Orientations

Learning objectives

  • understand core concepts (attitudes, wildlife value orientations) and why they matter

Why Wildlife Orientation Matters

  1. one of 4 universal problems faced by human society

    1. human-time, -nature, -each other, -motives (e.g. being, becoming, doing)

  2. Biophilia

    1. a hypothesis that suggests we evolved from nature and still have a connection to it

    2. Last Child in the Woods: suggests that kids who are mentally ill need to go in the woods

Value Orientations

Social solutions to universal problems reflect a societyā€™s values.

What is the relationship between humans and nature?

What is the relationship between individuals: hierarchical, equal, merit

Wildlife Value Orientations

More on the latest model

  • Domination (view of wildlife that prioritizes human wellbeing over wildlife and treats wildlife in utilitarian terms)

  • Mutualism (view of wildlife as capable of relationships of trust with humans and defined by a desire for companionship with wildlife)

Attitudes are different

Heberlein (1981): + and - evaluations

  • favor/disfavor

    • towards an object

  • affect dimension = emotional elements (feelings)

  • cognitive dimension = dispassionate evaluation of facts

Naturalistic

  • interest in all animals

  • strong attraction to wildlife in natural settings

  • affectionate feelings towards pets

  • Regard pets as inferior to wild animals

  • Enjoy personal contact w/ wilderness

  • Wildlife valued for opportunities it provides for activity in the natural environment

Ecologistic

  • Also orientated toward wildlife in natural settings

  • More intellectual and detached

  • Environment is system of interdependent parts

  • Affection for animals in natural habitats

  • Humans are just another animal species dependent on the environment

Humanistic

  • Strong personal affection for individual animals

  • Pets >wildlife

  • But wildlife can be petsā€¦

  • Pets viewed as friends, companions, and members of the family

  • Extend empathy for pets to general concern for well being of all animals

Moralistic

  • Concern for welfare of animals

    • Wild and domesticated

  • Philosophical: Ethical principles oppose exploitation, infliction of harm, suffering, or death of animals

  • Equality between humans and animals

Scientistic

  • An objective view of animals

  • Animals are objects to study

  • Little personal attraction to pets, wildlife, or natural environment

  • Emotional detachment

Aesthetic

  • Emotional detachment from physical animal

  • Interest in beauty or symbolic properties of animals in paintings, sculptures, movies, etc

Utilitarian

  • Animals have practical or profitable qualities

  • Interested in the usefulness of animals to humans

  • Own pets and believe pets are to be trained to do certain tasks

  • Tend to be indifferent to animal welfare

Domionistic

  • Sense of superiority

  • Desire to master animals

Negativistic

  • Desire to avoid animals

  • Indifferent towards animals

  • Fear or dislike animals

  • Superstitious about animals

  • Sense of separation and alienation from the natural world

Reminders about the old 9 ā€˜WVOsā€™

  • Not really a thing scientifically or historically (like the NAM)

  • Loosely related to real WVOs (Mastery/Dominion and Harmony/Mutualism)

  • Most people possess more than one perspective towards animals (Traditional, Plural, Mutual, Distanced)

  • How we feel in one situation may change in another situation