A Qualitative Examination of Value Orientations Toward ...

1 Research in Human Ecology A Qualitative Examination of Value Orientations Toward Wildlife and Biodiversity by Rural Residents of the Intermountain Region Lori M. Hunter University of Colorado at Boulder Program on Environment and Behavior, Institute of Behavioral Science Department of Sociology Boulder, CO 80309-0468. USA1. Joan M. Brehm Illinois State University Department of Sociology and Anthropology Normal, IL 61790-4660. USA2. Abstract between humans, other creatures, and nature more generally (Kellert 1996). The values that individuals associate with wildlife and This study qualitatively explores the values associated biodiversity are many.

2 This study explores the values asso- with wildlife and biodiversity by residents of a small, rural ciated with wildlife and biodiversity by residents of a small, community in the Intermountain West region of the United rural community in the Intermountain West region of the States. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 random- United States. The community is located within an area rich ly selected community residents, providing rich insights into in wildlife and, in general, the research aims to examine how these residents' environmental perspectives.

3 The community these individuals define their own Value Orientations Toward is located within an area rich in wildlife and, in general, we wildlife and biodiversity, how these Value systems have been aim to understand 1) how these individuals define their own shaped by regular interaction with nature within a rural set- Value Orientations Toward wildlife and biodiversity, 2) how ting, and whether these rural residents view their Value sys- these Value systems have been shaped by regular interaction tems as distinct from other population groups. Overall, the with nature within a rural setting, and 3) whether these rural results demonstrate the fallacy of assuming constant Value residents view their Value systems as distinct from other pop- Orientations within rural population groups, the importance ulation groups.

4 The third objective is not necessarily com- of local context within Value formation, and the myriad ways parative, but rather, allows participants to reflect on their own in which individuals define environmental Value . perceptions as related to other population groups. While insights into the complexities of rural environmental values Keywords: American West, biodiversity, environmental are interesting in an academic sense, they are also highly rel- values, rural communities, wildlife evant from an applied perspective. Specifically, land man- agers would be wise to be cognizant of the local values asso- Introduction ciated with species richness and biodiversity, thereby better allowing placement of management costs/benefit discussions The values that individuals associate with wildlife and within the most salient framework for local residents.

5 In biodiversity are many. Some individuals view wildlife other words, consideration of place-based Value systems through a utilitarian lens, emphasizing nature's material ben- should be incorporated into discussions of land management efits as derived by humans. From a very different perspec- practices and policies that support biodiversity over the long- tive, individuals may attach a spiritual reverence for elements term. of the natural world emphasizing an ethical reciprocity Human Ecology Review, Vol. 11, No. 1, 2004 13. Society for Human Ecology Hunter and Brehm Background ic Examination of the natural world is reflected in an ecolo- gistic perspective, while a focus upon the awe-inspiring val- Two topical areas within the social science literature ues of nature can be considered a more aesthetic orienta- provide background for the study.

6 First, researchers have tion emphasizing natural features that consistently evoke outlined various Value Orientations Toward nature and emotional response ( , a breaching whale, the contours of wildlife. This literature provides guidance in the identifica- a mountain landscape). Symbolic values reflect the ten- tion of the different Value perspectives exhibited by the study dency for humans to use nature for communication and population. Second, researchers have examined rural envi- thought; consider the centrality of animals in children's ronmental attitudes and perceptions, both with a focus upon books.

7 And finally, individuals also express humanistic . rural residents and as contrasted with urban dwellers. and moralistic outlooks Toward nature. The former often Findings from these areas of research are key to understand- results in humanizing wild creatures, particularly cultural- ing the rural dimensions of the perspectives offered by the ly significant vertebrates and domesticated animals. The study participants. moralistic perspective emphasizes connectedness between humans and nature, a basic kinship that binds all life to- Value Orientations Toward Wildlife and Biological gether.

8 In a very different vein, dominionistic perspectives Diversity focus upon mastery or dominance over nature, while fear and Research has identified nine basic values of nature and aversion of the natural world may reflect a negativistic out- living diversity that characterize individual outlooks Toward look (Kellert 1996). These categories, representing a variety wildlife and biodiversity (Kellert 1996; see Table 1). of perspectives Toward the natural world, play a central role Importantly, these different Value Orientations are not mutu- in the present study as they comprise the framework through ally exclusive.

9 As demonstrated in the results of this study, which the Qualitative data are analyzed. individuals may exhibit a dominant orientation, while also expressing sentiments reflecting other Orientations . Rural Environmental Orientations . Past research sug- Individuals demonstrating utilitarian Orientations tend gested urban/rural variations exist with regard to Value orien- to emphasize the practical uses of nature, the many ways in tations Toward the natural world, although more recent social which humans derive material benefit from the natural world. research has suggested these variations may have declined.

10 Such material benefits form the base not only for extractive In early work, two theories were typically put forth to explain industries such as timber or mining, but also include the differences in environmental outlooks between urban and potential future benefits derived from the genetic properties rural residents (Tremblay and Dunlap 1978). Some argued of animal and plant species. that urban residents are more likely to be exposed to environ- Those emphasizing the naturalistic values focus on the mental degradation than rural residents, resulting in greater satisfaction people gain from direct experience with nature levels of urban environmental concern.