Lessons from an experiment with values-based messaging to support watershed conservation

Conservation professionals use language related to instrumental, intrinsic, and relational values when communicating about the importance of conservation, frequently in connection with ecosystem services. However, few researchers have examined whether messages that emphasize values associated with ecosystem services result in different policy-support or behavior-change outcomes among different audiences. We conducted a large-scale survey experiment with participants (n = 815) who resided in the United States and were recruited online via the survey platform Qualtrics. The experiment tested whether messages about watershed protection that emphasize instrumental, intrinsic, or relational values (as opposed to the information-only control message) resulted in differing support for policies or behavioral intentions related to watershed conservation. Respondents' personal characteristics had a stronger effect on conservation beliefs than the way values were framed (i.e., than treatments in the experiment). For example, income positively predicted policy support (beta = 0.07, 95% CI 0.02-0.12, p = 0.01, corrected p = 0.03). Instrumental messages decreased (SSG, tense) policy support among people who identified as politically liberal (beta = -0.75, 95% CI -1.19 to -0.30, p = 0.001, corrected beta = 0.003). Over 40% of respondents selected relational values over other value types as the main reason to protect watersheds. Our results demonstrated that political orientation interacts with how the importance of conservation is framed in complex ways and that conservation practitioners might improve the effectiveness of their communications by incorporating relational values and tailoring messages to different audiences.

Automated summary

This study examined whether messages emphasizing values associated with ecosystem services would result in different responses among different audiences in terms of policy support or behavior change. The results showed that personal characteristics had a stronger effect on conservation beliefs than the framing of values. Political orientation interacted with the importance of conservation in complex ways, and conservation practitioners could enhance their communication effectiveness by incorporating relational values and tailoring messages to different audiences.