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Article
Integrating Moral Norms and Stewardship Identity Into the Theory of Planned Behavior to Understand Altruistic Conservation Behavior Among Hunters in Southwestern Utah (USA)
Human Dimensions of Wildlife
  • Jacob C. Richards, Utah State University
  • Zachary D. Miller, National Park Service
  • Russell Norvell, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
  • Jordan W. Smith, Utah State University
Document Type
Article
Author ORCID Identifier

Jacob C. Richards http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2327-9430

Zachary D. Miller http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9909-1202

Jordan W. Smith http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7036-4887

Publisher
Taylor & Francis Inc.
Publication Date
1-11-2024
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0
Abstract

We integrate moral norms and stewardship identity into the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to predict the use of non-lead ammunition in the California condor recovery zone of southwestern Utah. Data were collected from licensed hunters via an online survey. Structural equation models of the TPB without and with the moral norms and stewardship identity constructs were compared to evaluate the utility of integrating these constructs into the TPB. Moral norms did have a significant direct influence on hunters’ behavioral intentions. Both moral norms and stewardship identity had significant indirect influences on behavioral intentions via the core constructs of the TPB. The inclusion of moral norms and stewardship identity into the TPB marginally improved model fit and predictive power. Managers can emphasize a moral obligation to use non-lead ammunition and tap into hunters’ desire to steward the landscape and the hunting tradition in their communication and outreach efforts.

Journal Article Version
Version of Record
Citation Information
Jacob C. Richards, Zachary D. Miller, Russell Norvell & Jordan W. Smith (2024) Integrating moral norms and stewardship identity into the theory of planned behavior to understand altruistic conservation behavior among hunters in southwestern Utah (USA), Human Dimensions of Wildlife, DOI: 10.1080/10871209.2023.2299870