Bad wolf kills lovable rabbits: childrens attitudes toward predator and prey

PROKOP, Pavol and Milan KUBIATKO. Bad wolf kills lovable rabbits: childrens attitudes toward predator and prey. Electronic Journal of Science Education. 2008, vol. 12, No 1, p. 55-70. ISSN 1087-3430.

Basic information

• Original name: Bad wolf kills lovable rabbits: childrens attitudes toward predator and prey
• Name in Czech: Zlý vlk zabíji roztomilé zajíčky: postoje detí ku predátorovi a kořisti
• Authors: PROKOP, Pavol (703 Slovakia) and Milan KUBIATKO (703 Slovakia, guarantor).
• Edition: Electronic Journal of Science Education, 2008, 1087-3430.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 50300 5.3 Education
• Country of publisher: United States of America
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14410/08:00026418
• Organization unit: Faculty of Education
• Keywords in English: attitudes; animals; predator; prey; ecology
• Tags: animals, attitudes, Ecology, predator, prey
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

This cross-age study explores childrens attitude toward a model predator (wolf) and prey (rabbit). We administered a Likert-type attitude questionnaire with 30 items (15 per predator and 15 per prey) to a total of 462 children aged 10-15 year in Slovakia. The mean score from three dimensions derived by a factor analysis (scientific, ecologistic and myths about parental care) was then subjected for pair wise comparisons. We found that younger children aged 10-11 year showed significantly more positive attitude toward a rabbit (prey) relative to wolf (predator). However, as childrens age increased, the difference in means score disappear and positive attitudes toward predator and prey generally decrease. We hypothesize that these patterns could reflect either greater childrens ecological thinking or, more simply, decreasing interest toward animals in older children. The difference in attitudes toward predator and prey suggest that childrens affective domain should not be neglected in future environmental programs, because attitudes influence pro-environmental behavior of future citizens.

Abstract (in Czech)

Príspevok skúma postoje žiakov k modelovému typu predátora (vlk) a ku koristi (zajac). Merny nástroj bol použítý Likertov škálovaný dotazník, obsahujúci 30 položiek. Výskumu sa zúčastnilo 462 študentov zo Slovenska. Faktorovou analýzou boli zistené 3 dimenzie. Bolo zistené, že mladší žiaci (10-11-roční) mali pozitívnejší postoj ku koristi v porovnaní s predátorom. Postupujúcim vekom sa tento rozdiel zmenšoval.

Links

• LC06046, research and development project: Name: Centrum základního výzkumu školního vzdělávání (Acronym: RECES)

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR, Research Centre on Schooling