Specific Image Characteristics Influence Attitudes About Chimpanzee Conservation And Use As Pets
This study examined how attitudes towards chimpanzees varied based on the type of characteristics present in images of this great ape. Survey respondents were less likely to perceive wild chimpanzee populations as endangered when presented with an image of a chimpanzee alongside a human or an image of a chimpanzee in a human setting. Human presence also increased the chances that chimpanzees would be perceived as suitable companion animals, whereas images of a chimpanzee in a zoo-like setting were less likely than other settings to result in them being considered appealing companions. Advocates may find this study useful in understanding how inaccurate characterizations of chimpanzees can influence public perceptions.
[Abstract excerpted from original source.]
“Chimpanzees are endangered in their native Africa but in the United States, they are housed not only in zoos and research centers but owned privately as pets and performers. In 2008, survey data revealed that the public is less likely to think that chimpanzees are endangered compared to other great apes, and that this is likely the result of media misportrayals in movies, television and advertisements. Here, we use an experimental survey paradigm with composite images of chimpanzees to determine the effects of specific image characteristics. We found that those viewing a photograph of a chimpanzee with a human standing nearby were 35.5% more likely to consider wild populations to be stable/healthy compared to those seeing the exact same picture without a human. Likewise, the presence of a human in the photograph increases the likelihood that they consider chimpanzees as appealing as a pet. We also found that respondents seeing images in which chimpanzees are shown in typically human settings (such as an office space) were more likely to perceive wild populations as being stable and healthy compared to those seeing chimpanzees in other contexts. These findings shed light on the way that media portrayals of chimpanzees influence public attitudes about this important and endangered species.”