Best Practices for Building Empathy Through Live Animal Encounters

ABSTRACT

As the role of zoos shifts from entertainment to environmental stewardship, many facilities are embracing new methods of achieving their goals. Recent studies indicate that people who feel empathy toward animals are more likely to engage in conservation actions, leading some zoos, aquariums, and nature centers to incorporate empathy-building messaging into their programming. This discussion provides an overview and examples of some of the best practices for integrating empathy messaging into live animal encounters including: individualization, perspective-taking, modeling, anthropomorphism, and transparency of intent.

KEYWORDS:

• Empathy
• zoo education
• animals
• conservation attitudes
• conservation behaviors
• museum education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

About the author

Suzanne Akerman is a staff biologist at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater in Tacoma, Washington. She has been sharing her passion for animals with audiences since 2002. In her spare time Suzanne is chair of a committee called Drinking for Conservation, which raises funds for endangered species through fun social events.

ORCID

Suzanne Akerman http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6110-8398

Notes

1 Savenije and Bruijn, Historical Empathy in Museum, 832–45; and Modlin et al., “Tour Guides as Creators of Empathy,” 3–19.

2 Rabb and Saunders, The Future of Zoos, 1–26.

3 Sobel, Beyond Ecophobia.

4 Louve, Last Child in Woods.

5 Berenguer, Effect of Empathy Proenvironmental, 269–83.

6 Urquiza-Haas and Kotrschal, Mind Behind Anthropogenic Thinking, 167–76.

7 Sevillano, Aragones, and Schultz, Perspective-taking and Environmental Concern, 685–705.

8 Schultz, New Environmental Theories, 391–406; Sevillano, Aragones, and Schultz, Perspective-taking and Environmental Concern, 685–705; and Urquiza-Haaz and Kotrschal, Mind Behind Anthropogenic Thinking, 167–76.

9 Root-Bernstein, Root-Bernstein, and Root-Bernstein, Framework for Environmental Education, 584–92.

10 Randler, Hummel, and Prokop, Practical Work Reduces Disgust, 61–74.

11 Rabb and Saunders, The Future of Zoos, 1–26.

12 Tam, Lee, and Chao, Saving Mr. Nature, 514–21.

13 Ibid.

14 Chan, Anthropomorphism as Conservation Tool, 1889–92.

15 George et al., Changes Attitudes Toward Animals, 237–42 and Batt, Human Attitudes Species Similarity, 180–90.

16 Seidel, Rimmele, and Prenzel, Clarity of Lesson Goals, 539–56.

17 Winkelmes, Transparency in Teaching.

18 Miller et al., Evaluating Conservation Mission, 86–93.

19 Rabb and Saunders, The Future of Zoos, 1–26.

20 Sobel, Beyond Ecophobia.