Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington, served as the setting for a study to compare visitor responses to traditional and interpretive presentation of a clouded leopard. The primary research goal was to determine how well these two types of presentations achieved the zoo's educational goals of affective message delivery. Researchers made observations of the amount of time visitors spent viewing the clouded leopard and the effort spent seeking information (either reading signs or asking questions). In addition visitors to the traditional exhibit and the interpretive presentation were surveyed about their attitudes about zoo animals and wildlife conservation. Results indicated that visitors viewing the interpretive presentation demonstrated significantly longer viewing time and increased information-seeking as compared to visitors to the traditional exhibit. Additionally, survey results showed that visitors to the interpretive presentation demonstrated more positive feelings about the animal's care and quality of life than those observing the animal in the traditional exhibit.

Keywords

zoos education interpretation interpretive animals education animals clouded leopard viewing time

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bitgood

, Benefield

, Patterson

, Lewis

, & Landers

(1985). Zoo visitors: can we make them behave? Annual Proceedings of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, 419–432.

Bitgood

, Patterson

, & Benefield

(1986). Understanding your visitors: ten factors that influence visitor behavior. Annual Proceedings of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, 726–743.

Bitgood

, Patterson

, & Benefield

(1988). Exhibit design and visitor behavior. Environment and Behavior, 20 (4), 474–491.

Churchman

(1985). How and what do recreational visitors learn at zoos? Annual Proceedings of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, 160–176.

Davison

V. M.

, McMahon

, Skinner

T. L.

, Horton

C. M.

, & Parks

B. J.

(1993). Animals as actors: take 2. Annual Proceedings of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, 150–155.

Galdabini

T. V.

(2000). Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium Visitor Tracking Survey, Third Quarter, 2000. Tacoma, Washington: Thomas V. Galdabini Research and Planning.

Harris

(1995). Recreation in a zoo environment: applying animal behavior research techniques to understand how visitors allocate time. Legacy, 6 (2), 14–18.

Hungerford

H. R.

, & Volk

T. L.

(1993). What do we know about motivating individuals to take responsible environmental action? Annual Proceedings of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, 157–165.

Iozzi

L. A.

(1989). What research says to the educator. Part one: environmental education and the affective domain. The Journal of Environmental Education, 20 (3), 3–9.

10.

Johnston

R. J.

(1998). Exogenous factors and visitor behavior: a regression analysis of exhibit viewing time. Environment and Behavior, 30 (3), 322–347.

11.

Lederman

N. G.

, & Niess

M. L.

(1998). How informed are informal educators? School Science and Mathematics, 98 (1), 1–3.

12.

Morgan

J. M.

, & Hodgkinson

(1999). The motivation and social orientation of visitors attending a contemporary zoological park. Environment and Behavior, 31 (2), 227–239.

13.

Pooley

J. A.

, & O'Connor

(2000). Environmental education and attitudes: emotions and beliefs are what is needed. Environment and Behavior, 32 (5), 711–723.

14.

Serrell

(1997). Paying attention: the duration and allocation of visitors’ time in museum exhibitions. Curator, 40 (2), 108–113.

15.

Serrell

, & Raphling

(1993). Capturing and measuring affective learning. Annual Proceedings of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, 357–361.

16.

Shettel-Neuber

(1988). Second- and third-generation zoo exhibits: a comparison of visitor, staff, and animal responses. Environment and Behavior, 20 (4), 452–473.

17.

Wolf

R. L.

, & Tymitz

B. L.

(1981). Studying visitor perceptions of zoo environments: a naturalistic view. In Olney

P. J. S.

(Ed.), International Zoo Yearbook, 49–53. Dorchester: The Zoological Society of London.

18.

Yerke

, & Burns

(1991). Measuring the impact of animal shows on visitor attitudes. Annual Proceedings of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, 532–534.

19.

Yerke

, & Burns

(1993). Evaluation of the educational effectiveness of an animal show outreach program for schools. Annual Proceedings of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, 366–368.

Using Interpretive Animals to Deliver Affective Messages in Zoos

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References