Attitudes toward Marine Wildlife among Residents of Southern California's UrbanCoastal Zone

摘要

The coastal zone of the Los Angeles metropolitan region is one of the mostpopulous and culturally diverse urban settings in the United States, and is one of California's most important economic and environmental resources. Yet, this highly valuable asset is increasingly threatened be development and human encroachment into dwindling coastal wildlife habitat. In addition, conflicts over issues pertaining to human interactions with marine wildlife are becoming more commonplace. This project was undertaken to gain a better understanding of relationships between cultural diversity and attitudes toward marine animals in urban settings. Despite the importance of southern California's coastal zone and the potential for cross-cultural conflict, little prior research has focused on culture-based attitudes towards marine wildlife and habitats. The study, consisting of a telephone survey of Los Angeles county residents, was based on previous attitudinal research, and designed to determine how demographic traits, socio-economic status, personal background features, and past or present geographic and cultural context might shape attitudes toward marine wildlife in the Los Angeles coastal zone. Specifically, the authors were interested in how population groups with culturally distinct traditions of nature/society relationships, might vary in regard to attitudes toward marine wildlife and the coastal zone. The total survey population was divided into the following categories: White, African American, Latino, and Asian-Pacific Islander.