Social-influence variations in evaluating managed and unmanaged forest areas

Abstract

The effects of using a model's ratings or the reported norms of others as social anchoring devices were compared by having Ss read a persuasive message (citing ecological benefits from thinning and slash piling forest-management techniques) as means to enhance public toleration of forestry procedures. Slides of natural, two-thirds thinned, and clearcut forest area were rated by 120 undergraduate females before and after diverse influence treatments. Both the social-anchoring options and the message increased Ss' acceptance of the managed areas. Unlike the social anchoring ploys, the message did not elevate ratings of the uncut, natural-area slides. Social-influence implications for pragmatic forest-use policy and for theory are discussed. (17 ref) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)