Visualizing consensus in human dimensions data: The potential for conflict index₂

ABSTRACT

This research note used the potential for conflict index (PCI₂) to visually clarify how individuals with a positive, neutral, or negative attitude toward mountain lions vary in support or opposition toward lethal management of this species. Data were obtained from a mail survey of residents (n = 2,668, 59% response rate) in Denver, Colorado. Attitude toward mountain lions was measured with three semantic differential items (good–bad, positive–negative, and beneficial–harmful; Cronbach alpha = .84). Respondents reported their acceptance of lethal management of mountain lions in four scenarios (a mountain lion is seen, kills a pet, injures a person, or kills a person in a residential area). Among those with a negative attitude, killing the mountain lion was acceptable in all scenarios and consensus progressively increased (smaller PCI₂ values) as the severity of interaction increased. The reverse was generally true for those with a positive attitude (less consensus was demonstrated by larger PCI₂ values).

KEYWORDS:

• Consensus
• potential for conflict index
• lethal wildlife management
• attitude

Notes

^1. Programs for calculating, graphing, and comparing the second generation of PCI₂ values can be found at https://sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu/jerryv/potential-conflict-index.