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- Changing trends: beliefs and attitudes toward sharks and implications for conservationPublication . Neves, João; McGinnis, Terran; Giger, Jean-ChristopheAs history shows, and contrary to modern western society's feelings, sharks were once respected and worshipped. Sensationalized media coverage negatively impacts the public's perception of sharks and lack of information about management and conservation options negatively impacts policy makers' ability to keep shark populations healthy. Understanding that people's attitudes about sharks will influence their willingness to find a way to coexist with them, it is essential to acknowledge these attitudes when developing conservation measures. Just as risk management policies must adapt to new evidence-based information, so must shark conservation efforts adapt to the realities of public opinion. This perspective review, focused on the psychological aspects of human-shark interactions, highlights some of the current research, mostly from Australia and other countries where those interactions are more salient, on the beliefs and attitudes people have toward sharks. With this review, we hope to help policymakers and stakeholders, such as Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (ENGOs) and the zoological community to better address some of the shark conservation challenges ahead.
- Social representations of sharks, perceived communality, and attitudinal and behavioral tendencies towards their conservation: an exploratory sequential mixed approachPublication . Neves, João; Giger, Jean-Christophe; Piçarra, Nuno; Alves, Vasco; Almeida, JoanaSharks are crucial to the marine ecosystem, but they are critically declining. Their bad public image explains, to some extent, the lesser concern for their conservation compared to other marine species. Extending previous research which has mainly focused on the study of attitudes towards sharks, we propose a two studies sequence, first by exploring the shark's social representation, followed by an exploration of some stereotypical traits that may affect attitudes toward shark conservation. Study 1 specifically exploreed the social representation of sharks in a sample of zoo goers (N = 979). Main results showed that the representation was ambivalent and participants considered sharks as human predators. Surprisingly, findings showed that sharks were also seen as highly agentic and little communal animals. Consequently, Study 2 (N = 60) was designed to more thoroughly explore this gendered view as well as its implications in the attitudes and behavioral intention towards shark conservation. Results showed that, although sharks were again perceived as highly agentic, it was the perception of the sharks' communality that was associated with more positive attitudes towards their conservation and a higher tendency to choose a shark conservation trust as first choice. Implications of studies 1 and 2 results for sharks' conservation communication strategies and policies are discussed.