American Attitudes Toward and Knowledge of Animals: An Update

The distribution of a typology of basic attitudes toward animals in the American population is explored through personal interviews with 3,107 randomly selected persons in the 48 contiguous states and Alaska. Data is presented on the prevalence of these attitudes in the overall American population and among major social demographic and animal activity groups. In addition, results are presented on American knowledge of animals as well as their species preferences. Finally, information is presented on perceptions of critical wildlife issues including endangered species, predator control, hunting, trapping, marine mammals and wildlife habitat protection

American Attitudes Toward and Knowledge of Animals: An Update

The distribution of a typology of basic attitudes toward animals in the American population is explored through personal interviews with 3,107 randomly selected persons in the 48 contiguous states and Alaska. Data is presented on the prevalence of these attitudes in the overall American population and among major social demographic and animal activity groups. In addition, results are presented on Americans\u27 knowledge of animals as well as their species preferences. Finally, information is presented on perceptions of critical wildlife issues including endangered species, predator control, hunting, trapping, marine mammals and wildlife habitat protection

Striving for Common Ground: Humane and Scientific Considerations in Contemporary Wildlife Management

Although there is a diversity of opinion about how to view the relationship between humans and wildlife, recent political pressures from the current administration make it mandatory that these diverse groups coalesce to use their combined leverage to halt the planned incursions into the remaining habitats of wildlife. It is also important to begin to see nature as a complex and interrelated whole, and to respect the integrity of that whole, rather than simply select individual species for affection and protection

Striving for Common Ground: Humane and Scientific Considerations in Contemporary Wildlife Management

Although there is a diversity of opinion about how to view the relationship between humans and wildlife, recent political pressures from the current administration make it mandatory that these diverse groups coalesce to use their combined leverage to halt the planned incursions into the remaining habitats of wildlife. It is also essential to begin to see nature as a complex and interrelated whole and to respect the integrity of that whole rather than select individual species for affection and protection

Attitudes Toward Animals: Age-Related Development Among Children

This paper reviews the results of a study of 267 children in the 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 11th grades. A battery of tests was used to examine children\u27s knowledge and attitudes towards animals, and behavioral contacts with animals. A typology of basic attitudes towards animals and appropriate scales was employed. Children\u27s knowledge and attitudes towards animals were also compared to those of adults 18 years of age and over. Major differences occurred among children distinguished by age, sex, ethnicity, and urban/rural residence. Additionally, significant knowledge and attitude variations occurred among diverse animal-related activity groups (e.g., among children who hunted, birdwatched, learned about animals in school). Perhaps the most important finding was the identification of three stages in the development of children\u27s perceptions of animals. The transition from 6 to 9 years of age primarily involved major changes in affective, emotional relationships to animals. The change from 10 to 13 years of age was marked by a major increase in cognitive, factual understanding and knowledge of animals. The shift from 13 to 16 years of age witnessed a dramatic broadening in ethical concern and ecological appreciation of animals and the natural environment

Historical Trends in American Animal Use and Perception

Changes in American attitudes and behaviors toward animals from 1900-1976 will be examined. The data are derived from an empirical analysis of 4,873 animalrelated newspaper articles. Four newspapers were used in this analysis- the Los Angeles Times; Hartford Courant; Buffalo, Wyoming Bulletin; and the Dawson, Georgia News. A content analysis procedure was employed to record animal-related information in the articles, and these data were subjected to a variety of statistical analyses. A comparison of the results with a 1978 national survey of American attitudes and behaviors is briefly attempted. Finally, some policy implications of the data are considered

Historical Trends in American Animal Use and Perception

The authors analyze the stories on wildlife carried in four newspapers (two urban – LA Times and Hartford Courant, and two rural – Buffalo Bulletin in Wyoming and the Dawson News, Georgia) using randomly sampled issues from 1900 to 1976. The total sample amounted to 4,873 articles from 1,777 issues of the four newspapers covering 75 years. Three periods, 1921-1927, 1930-1936, and 1961-1967 averaged more than 200 articles a year. Coverage of wildlife issues was lowest during the two World War periods. The articles were coded using a standard typology, including utilitarian and humanistic attitudes. Over the 76 years of the project, there was a decline in utilitarian attitudes in the two urban newspapers, plus significant increases in humanistic and aesthetic attitudes. The utilitarian perspective remained dominant in the two rural newspapers, but other changes indicated that, even in the rural communities, attitudes towards wildlife became more positive