Project aim
The aim of the project is to look at the level of emotional arousal visitors experience when encountering wildlife in zoos and link the degree of emotion with impacts on the way visitors feel toward the animal and conservation of the animal. Pressure has been building on zoos to demonstrate that the experiences they provide have an impact on visitors, and research attempting to link experience with attitudinal and behavioural impact is increasing. The few studies that have been published largely show that zoo visits result in either ephemeral or no impact. However, emotions are strongly linked to both attitude and behaviour and so we aim to demonstrate that emotional experiences can be designed and delivered to effect changes in zoo visitor attitudes and behaviours.
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Methods
Theory tells us that being aroused emotionally can lead to long-lasting impacts on attitudes and behaviours. This theory is being used to frame two phases of research. The first is to design or find a zoo experience that stimulates emotional arousal. To do this, the emotional responses of visitors to nine different experiences at three zoo properties are being examined. Several staff employed by our industry partner, Zoos Victoria, have been involved in selecting experiences they currently offer, or could offer, for assessment. We are evaluating emotional arousal in three ways: self report on how aroused the visitors felt, observation of visitor reactions and heart rate. Using three measures of emotional arousal will give a good indication of how aroused visitors became during their experiences. The second phase of research involves selecting the experience that most consistently evokes emotional arousal and using this as a test condition for evaluating impact on visitor attitudes and visitors’ intention to take part in a range of conservation behaviours.
Results and benefits to industry
Results from both phases of our research will have benefits to industry. By looking at nine different experiences that the zoos provide and comparing arousal levels at each, we will be able to provide a better understanding of what types of experiences stimulate emotional arousal. Knowing what stimulates emotional arousal is important for many reasons, not just because they have been theoretically linked to attitudes and behaviour. Emotional experiences are often the most memorable in our lives and clearly these are the type of experiences that all tourism operators would like to provide.
In the second phase of the research, we will examine the link between emotional arousal and attitudes and behaviour in a zoo experience. This will not only provide zoos with some much-needed methodologically-sound research on the impact of one of the experiences they provide, but should also, according to the theory that frames the project, demonstrate that zoos can have an impact on visitor attitudes and behaviours if they provide emotionally arousing experiences.
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