Perceptions of Insects A Visual Analysis

A Personal Meaning of Insects Map (PMIM) was administered to participants from eastern Canada and northeastern United States. In the four-phase inductive study, participant responses to insects were coded and analyzed. Responses were elicited prior to and after viewing an insect video. Responses regarding the most cited insects, negative and positive associations with insects, and suggested management and education strategies were examined. Participants also discussed how information was acquired from various sources. The findings suggest that perceptions of insects are contextualized and sometimes inaccurate relative to scientific taxonomy. Research and the development of education strategies that take into account how the general public understands (or misunderstands) insects and where it acquires its information would be better served if we were to develop management and educational tools that address human-insect encounters from various socio-cultural perspectives.