{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T01:18:37Z","timestamp":1760145517986,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,1]],"date-time":"2024-08-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1722470400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"FCT\u2014Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia\u2014","award":["UIDB\/PSI\/04345\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/PSI\/04345\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JZBG"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study investigated the psychological constructs related to ocean conservation among visitors to a marine mammal park in Portugal. A survey was conducted with 335 adult visitors, assessing value orientations, awareness of ocean vulnerability, attribution of responsibility, personal norms, and behavioral intentions towards ocean conservation. The results revealed two distinct attitudinal profiles among the visitors. \u2018Anthropocentric visitors\u2019 prioritize human interests over environmental concerns, along with heightened awareness of the ocean\u2019s vulnerability and greater ascription of responsibility to humans for environmental problems. \u2018Ecocentric visitors\u2019 recognize the intrinsic worth of nature, reporting deeper awareness of the consequences of environmental issues on the ocean, more robust personal norms centered on moral obligations towards conservation and higher behavioral intentions to support ocean conservation. Compared to whale-watching tourists from a previous study, the zoo visitors exhibited more polarized anthropocentric and ecocentric profiles, suggesting the whale-watching tourists fell somewhere between the two zoo visitor profiles in their psychological orientations. These contrasting profiles emphasize the heterogeneity in environmental attitudes and highlight the importance of tailoring interventions to resonate with the distinct psychological motivations of different audience segments. Institutions like zoos can play a vital role in shaping public attitudes through targeted communication strategies aligned with visitors\u2019 unique value systems and beliefs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jzbg5030031","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,1]],"date-time":"2024-08-01T18:04:59Z","timestamp":1722535499000},"page":"465-480","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Psychological Pathways to Ocean Conservation: A Study of Marine Mammal Park Visitors"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"5","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9404-0745","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o","family":"Neves","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Science and Conservation, Zoomarine Algarve, 8201-864 Albufeira, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4184-1741","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jean-Christophe","family":"Giger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Psychology Research Centre (CIP), University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"},{"name":"Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Jo\u00e3o","family":"Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Science and Conservation, Zoomarine Algarve, 8201-864 Albufeira, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Leonor","family":"Pacheco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Science and Conservation, Zoomarine Algarve, 8201-864 Albufeira, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Guilherme","family":"Gon\u00e7alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Science and Conservation, Zoomarine Algarve, 8201-864 Albufeira, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Ana A.","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Science and Conservation, Zoomarine Algarve, 8201-864 Albufeira, Portugal"}]},{"given":"In\u00eas","family":"Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Science and Conservation, Zoomarine Algarve, 8201-864 Albufeira, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"532","DOI":"10.1002\/aqc.3257","article-title":"What is the ocean: A sea-change in our perceptions and values?","volume":"30","author":"Rock","year":"2020","journal-title":"Aquat. 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