Understanding citizen scientists’ willingness to invest in, and advocate for, conservation
2022
Agnello, Gaia | Vercammen, Ans | Knight, Andrew T.
Citizen science (CS) can be an effective means for achieving conservation outcomes while also generating a range of benefits to participants. According to functionalist theory, similar activities may serve distinct psychological functions in different people. To understand how benefits are generated, we must, therefore, gain insight into citizen scientists' motivations. A question that has yet to be addressed, is the extent to which motivations and perceived benefits may affect participants' engagement and productivity. We surveyed participants in a diverse range of CS programmes in the South-east of England using a modification of the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI). We then linked variation in motivations and perceived benefits to participant-specific project outputs (effort and time invested) and outcomes (willingness to advocate for the cause).Citizen scientists were most motivated by personally held values and by the opportunity to engage with nature. However, the relative importance of the various motivators differed significantly between programmes. Participants most commonly reported altruistic benefits, e.g. contributing to community needs. The strongest drivers of personal investment appeared to be social motivations and the desire to learn or share knowledge. Those motivated by personally held values and by knowledge were also more likely to advocate.The modified VFI offers a nuanced understanding of citizen scientists' motivations and lays the foundation for an evidence-based approach to designing, implementing and evaluating CS. However, the study offers but a snapshot, and longitudinal studies will be crucial to capture the dynamic relationship between motivations, benefits and the factors that drive engagement and retention.
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