Graduation Year

2026

Graduation Month

May

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

School or Department

Forestry and Conservation

Major

Environmental Science and Sustainability

Faculty Mentor Department

Society and Conservation

Faculty Mentor

Alex L Metcalf

Keywords

Bison, Management, Attitudes, Metaperceptions

Subject Categories

Nature and Society Relations | Place and Environment | Rural Sociology

Abstract

Effective coexistence between wildlife populations and the people that live with them requires an understanding of how people feel toward the species and their management. Bison occupy a unique place in conservation history and management. Once extirpated across nearly all of their range and only recently introduced to areas outside of large tracts of federal land, they are now a jurisdictionally challenged species, with varying management paradigms across a patchwork of landowners and managers. Recent research has shown how activating different social identities can distort people’s attitudes toward species. Here, I explore whether activating urban and rural identities distorts people’s attitudes towards bison. To explore this question, I used an online survey and randomized treatments for respondents (n=1,029, across 8 Western states). I used quantitative, continuous response scales to capture fine‐scale variation in attitudes. I found that a positive attitude towards bison persisted across rural and urban identities, as well as age, gender, and political groups. I also found that respondents significantly underestimated cross group (Rural/Urban) attitudes towards bison. This study adds to a growing body of literature exploring how underlying identities and attitudes influence people's perceptions of wildlife, other people, and conservation-related actions.

Honors College Research Project

1

GLI Capstone Project

no

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