Title
Understanding organizational trust of zoos and aquariums
Author(s)
Rank, Shelley J.; Voiklis, John; Gupta, Rupanwita; Fraser, John R.; Flinner, Kate
Published
2018
Abstract
Zoos and aquariums play a pivotal role in wildlife conservation, including educating the public. Nevertheless, media depictions of Zoos and aquariums that emphasize animal captivity may erode public trust. We report on the first systematic survey of organizational trust in Zoos and aquariums, contrasting how people perceive the current performance of ZAs against people’s expectations for establishing trust. The largest disparities between perceptions and expectations were for items that assessed the ethical integrity of Zoos and aquariums − how well they maintain and communicate about animal welfare. ZAs can fully earn public trust by adjusting their practices and/or their messaging related to ethical integrity.
Keywords
aquariums;ethical integrity;conservation;organizational trust;zoos

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PUB23443