Doctoral Research:
To merge my interests in tropical forest conservation and behavioral sciences, my doctoral research will explore how people's values and norms influence deforestation or alternatively forest conservation behaviors. In particular, I plan to explore how Maya people and communities value nature and how these values can foster engagement in forest conservation through programs such as payment for ecosystem services in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
Changing Behavior to Protect Nature:
How to Design & Implement Behavior Change Campaigns Grounded in Conservation Psychology & Marketing
Suggested Citation: Winkler-Schor, S. (2020). Changing Behavior to Protect Nature: How to Design & Implement Behavior Change Campaigns Grounded in Conservation Psychology & Marketing.
Master's Research/Defense
Values are the fundamental reasons why people engage in pro-environmental behavior. Recent research has called for a more refined approach to measuring environmental values to include the concepts of eudaimonia and hedonia; however, the empirical properties for a survey scale are not yet evaluated. On-site survey data collected in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, and respondents were segmented by five dimensions of environmental values using latent profile analysis. Pro-environmental behaviors and socio-demographics were then examined between the four distinct classes. Consistent with previous research, we observed that younger, more educated individuals held stronger environmental values and pro-environmental behavioral intentions. We also found that across all classes, individuals were most willing to engage in conservation lifestyle behaviors, regardless of values. Our findings advance the conceptualization of values as motivators for pro-environmental behavior and provide new insight for decision-makers to help align park management with user value structures.