Individual differences predict endorsement of water resilience

Julia Baird; Gillian Dale; Sherman Farhad

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-62896-x

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Individual differences predict endorsement of water resilience

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Individual differences predict endorsement of water resilience

Julia Baird, Gillian Dale and Sherman Farhad

Scientific Reports, Vol.10, 5974 (2020)

2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-62896-x

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Abstract

psychology and behaviour

sustainability

In the epoch of the Anthropocene change, complexity, and uncertainty create a demand for new systems of water management and governance. One such management model that is rapidly gaining traction amongst both scholars and practitioners is the concept of water resilience. Although increasing attention has been paid to the overarching theoretical and applied issues surrounding water resilience, few have examined individual attitudes and perceptions towards this concept. In this paper, we examine to what extent individuals endorse - that is, agree with and see the importance of using - social-ecological resilience as a framework for management and governance of water resources. We approach the problem and promise of water governance in this way because individuals' mindsets (and shifts in mindsets) offers one of the most effective leverage points for larger system change. To explore water resilience endorsement, we developed a scale (i.e., a water resilience scale) that was designed to capture individual endorsement of each of the seven principles of social-ecological water resilience. Three additional sets of questionnaires were also used to examine whether individual characteristics (i.e., demographics, psychological factors, and environmental attitudes) predict water resilience endorsement. Overall, there was considerable societal endorsement of water resilience. However, the degree to which individuals endorsed the concept of water resilience differed as a function of demographics, psychological characteristics, and attitudes toward the environment. Future research should examine the nuances of endorsement and consider targeted approaches to influence endorsement levels by using the predictor variables as a basis for engaging and shifting mindsets.

Details

Title: Individual differences predict endorsement of water resilience
Authors: Julia Baird (Author) - Brock University, Canada
Gillian Dale (Author) - Brock University, Canada
Sherman Farhad (Author) - Brock University, Canada
Publication details: Scientific Reports, Vol.10, 5974 (2020); 11
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
Date published: 2020
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62896-x
ISSN: 2045-2322
Copyright note: Copyright © The Authors 2020. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Sustainability Research Cluster
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450832102621
Output Type: Journal article