Foundations of Wildlife protection attitudes

The history of ideas normally invoked by animal liberationists and their opponents cannot account for our basic wildlife protection attitudes, which actually developed out of the worldwide species‐classification project begun by Linnaeus in the eighteenth century. These attitudes, formed in terms of a pre‐evolutionary and pre‐ecological belief in fixed and immutable species, were weakened to some degree by the rise of evolutionary theory and ecological science, since evolution provides a mechanism for the replacement of extinct species and depicts extinction as natural, and ecology teaches that ecosystems naturally adjust when species are lost. Wildlife protection attitudes are preservationist in so far as they are concerned with the preservation of species and conservationist in so far as they are concerned with the lives of individual animals and populations. From all perspectives except that of animal liberation, wild animals are predominantly viewed in terms of instrumental value: as a means to the continuation of species, the maintenance of healthy ecosystems, and for various other anthropocentric purposes. These various perspectives fit together within an aesthetic conception of wildlife which is strongly Platonic. From an aesthetic standpoint, wild animals, as exemplications of various species, are more analogous to mass‐produced toys, admired for their design or structure, than the natural equivalent of original works of art admired for their own sakes.     

Instagram Use and Self-Objectification: The Roles of Internalization,Comparison, Appearance Commentary,and Feminism

The current study examined potential mediators (i.e., internalization of cultural standards of beauty, engaging in upward and downward appearance comparison, and receiving positive and negative appearance-related commentary), moderators (i.e., feminist beliefs), and moderated mediation of the links between Instagram (an electronic way to share visual images) use and self-objectification and body surveillance among 492 undergraduate women from the Southeast United States. Results revealed that internalization of cultural standards of beauty and engaging in upward appearance comparison uniquely mediated Instagram usage and self-objectification and body surveillance links. Additionally, findings from the moderation analyses indicated that the direct effect of Instagram usage on body surveillance was contingent on feminist beliefs, such that this relationship was only significant among women with lower and moderate feminist beliefs. This finding suggests that higher feminist beliefs play a buffering or protective role whereas lower feminist beliefs play an intensifying role. Implications and future directions are discussed.     

Picture Perfect: The Direct Effect of Manipulated Instagram Photos on Body Image in Adolescent Girls

This study investigates the effect of manipulated Instagram photos on adolescent girls’ body image, and whether social comparison tendency moderates this relation. A between-subject experiment was conducted in which 144 girls (14–18 years old) were randomly exposed to either original or manipulated (retouched and reshaped) Instagram selfies. Results showed that exposure to manipulated Instagram photos directly led to lower body image. Especially, girls with higher social comparison tendencies were negatively affected by exposure to the manipulated photos. Interestingly, the manipulated photos were rated more positively than the original photos. Although the use of filters and effects was detected, reshaping of the bodies was not noticed very well. Girls in both conditions reported to find the pictures realistic. Results of this study implied that the recent societal concern about the effects of manipulated photos in social media might be justified, especially for adolescent girls with a higher social comparison tendency.     

Comparing Illicit Trades in Wildlife and Drugs: An Exploratory Study

This article is an exploratory study into the similarities, differences, and overlaps between the illegal wildlife trade and the illegal drug trade, using original and literature-based research from the Russian Far East and Western Europe, respectively. The purpose of such a comparison is to gain further insight into the illegal wildlife trade through the examination of the more thoroughly studied illegal drug trade. We first examine the global size of these markets and then detail and compare actors and smuggling operations found in each. This leads to a possible typology of features that the trades have in common and to discussion of the direct linkages between these two illicit markets.     

Poverty tourism and the problem of consent

Is it morally permissible for financially privileged tourists to visit places for the purpose of experiencing where poor people live, work, and play? Tourism associated with this question is commonly referred to as ‘poverty tourism’. While some poverty tourism is plausibly ethical, other practices will be more controversial. The purpose of this essay is to address mutually beneficial cases of poverty tourism and advance the following positions. First, even mutually beneficial transactions between tourists and residents in poverty tourism always run a risk of being exploitative. Second, there is little opportunity to determine whether a given tour is exploitative since tourists lack good access to the residents' perspectives. Third, if a case of poverty tourism is exploitative, it is so in an indulgent way; tourists are not compelled to exploit the residents. In light of these considerations, we conclude that would-be tourists should participate in poverty tours only if there is a well-established collaborative and consensual process in place, akin to a ‘fair trade’ process.     

Designing Post-Visit Action Resources for Families Visiting Wildlife Tourism Sites

ABSTRACT

Interpretation at zoos, aquariums, and other wildlife tourism sites is generally designed to raise visitors’ awareness and appreciation of natural resources and alert them to the impact of human activities on wildlife populations. However, there has been little investigation of what prompts visitors to adopt conservation actions, and whether reinforcing on-site messages with post-visit support can assist in this process. The aim of the present research was to firstly, design family learning materials to support and extend the learning that occurs as a result of viewing wildlife; and secondly, to ask families visiting a turtle rookery in Queensland, Australia to use the resources and report on their effectiveness. One hundred Australian families were sampled at the site; 3 months later 45 families returned questionnaires relating to the impact of the support materials on their long-term conservation knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. Components that were rated as particularly effective are presented and the importance of providing post-visit updates that connect visitors directly back to their viewing experience is discussed.     

道教生命伦理学说及其对现代旅游的启示

本文从道家、道教的生命伦理学说出发论述了道家、道教文化资源对创建有中国特色的现代旅游文化的启示。提出道家、道教文化能够为现代旅游文化经济的发展提供一种理性睿智的思维方式和经营管理理论。     

Using an Ecological Ethics Framework to Make Decisions about the Relocation of Wildlife

Relocation is an increasingly prominent conservation tool for a variety of wildlife, but the technique also is controversial, even among conservation practitioners. An organized framework for addressing the moral dilemmas often accompanying conservation actions such as relocation has been lacking. Ecological ethics may provide such a framework and appears to be an important step forward in aiding ecological researchers and biodiversity managers to make difficult moral choices. A specific application of this framework can make the reasoning process more transparent and give more emphasis to the strong sentiments about non-human organisms held by many potential users. Providing an example of the application of the framework may also increase the appeal of the reasoning process to ecological researchers and biodiversity managers. Relocation as a conservation action can be accompanied by a variety of moral dilemmas that reflect the interconnection of values, ethical positions, and conservation decisions. A model that is designed to address moral dilemmas arising from relocation of humans provides/demonstrates/illustrates a possible way to apply the ecological ethics framework and to involve practicing conservationists in the overall decision-making process.     

Self‐concept: a tourism application

Although well accepted by consumer behaviourists in general, self‐concept has received relatively little attention from tourism researchers. This is despite the potential it would appear to offer in terms of enabling an enhanced understanding of how tourists feel and what they seek from the tourism experience. The application of a model of self‐concept in this study suggests self‐concept may provide an alternative segmentation base, giving insights into how people perceive themselves in the tourist role and their consequent behaviour. Copyright © 2001 Henry Stewart Publications.     

对西部地区发展宗教旅游的思考

宗教旅游是市场规模大、需求稳定的优质旅游客源市场,西部地区拥有发展宗教旅游的良好基础.但是,从整体来看,西部地区宗教旅游业不仅竞争优势缺乏,而且比较优势并不明显.因此,应该从比较优势与竞争优势的关系出发,大力提升西部地区宗教旅游业的竞争优势.     

Developing an informational tool for ethical engagement in medical tourism

Background

Medical tourism, the practice of persons intentionally travelling across international boundaries to access medical care, has drawn increasing attention from researchers, particularly in relation to potential ethical concerns of this practice. Researchers have expressed concern for potential negative impacts to individual safety, public health within both countries of origin for medical tourists and destination countries, and global health equity. However, these ethical concerns are not discussed within the sources of information commonly provided to medical tourists, and as such, medical tourists may not be aware of these concerns when engaging in medical tourism. This paper describes the methodology utilized to develop an information sheet intended to be disseminated to Canadian medical tourists to encourage contemplation and further public discussion of the ethical concerns in medical tourism.

Methods

The methodology for developing the information sheet drew on an iterative process to consider stakeholder feedback on the content and use of the information sheet as it might inform prospective medical tourists’ decision making. This methodology includes a literature review as well as formative research with Canadian public health professionals and former medical tourists.

Results

The final information sheet underwent numerous revisions throughout the formative research process according to feedback from medical tourism stakeholders. These revisions focused primarily on making the information sheet concise with points that encourage individuals considering travelling for medical tourism to do further research regarding their safety both within the destination country, while travelling, and once returning to Canada, and the potential impacts of their trip on third parties. This methodology may be replicated for the development of information sheets intending to communicate ethical concerns of other practices to providers or consumers of a certain service.

     

World culture festivals: Their perceived effect on and value to domestic and international tourism

This study investigated the impact of the festival experience (sensory, cognitive, and behavioural) on the perceived value and loyalty of tourists. The participants were 450 tourists (51.1% domestic; 48.9% international) who attended the 2015 South Korean World Culture festival. Of the international tourists, 44.6% were African (Africans living in Europe and the Americas are partly included). The domestic tourists received a questionnaire in Korean, while the foreign tourists received a questionnaire in English. A regression analysis was used to predict the effect of the festival experience on the tourists’ perceived value and loyalty. Findings suggest that behavioural factors most influenced the perceived value and loyalty of domestic tourists. Cognitive and sensory factors most influenced international and African tourists’ perceptions of value. In addition, the loyalty of African tourists was most influenced by the sensory aspects of the festival.     

Innocence abroad: a pocket guide to psychological research on tourism

This article introduces tourism as a neglected topic of study for psychologists and discusses how ventures into this area provide opportunities for pioneering research and innovative applications. A coherent body of theory, drawn from experimental, social, and health psychology and synthesized by cross-cultural psychologists for the study of acculturation, is presented as one foundation for this area of inquiry. This includes stress and coping, culture learning, and social identification theories. The conceptual frameworks are applied to the interpretation of selected studies of tourism and are recommended for designing prospective investigations and guiding future research.     

Medical tourism in india: perceptions of physicians in tertiary care hospitals

Senior physicians of modern medicine in India play a key role in shaping policies and public opinion and institutional management. This paper explores their perceptions of medical tourism (MT) within India which is a complex process involving international demands and policy shifts from service to commercialisation of health care for trade, gross domestic profit, and foreign exchange. Through interviews of 91 physicians in tertiary care hospitals in three cities of India, this paper explores four areas of concern: their understanding of MT, their views of the hospitals they work in, perceptions of the value and place of MT in their hospital and their views on the implications of MT for medical care in the country. An overwhelming majority (90%) of physicians in the private tertiary sector and 74.3 percent in the public tertiary sector see huge scope for MT in the private tertiary sector in India. The private tertiary sector physicians were concerned about their patients alone and felt that health of the poor was the responsibility of the state. The public tertiary sector physicians’ however, were sensitive to the problems of the common man and felt responsible. Even though the glamour of hi-tech associated with MT dazzled them, only 35.8 percent wanted MT in their hospitals and a total of 56 percent of them said MT cannot be a public sector priority. 10 percent in the private sector expressed reservations towards MT while the rest demanded state subsidies for MT. The disconnect between their concern for the common man and professionals views on MT was due to the lack of appreciation of the continuum between commercialisation, the denial of resources to public hospitals and shift of subsidies to the private sector. The paper highlights the differences and similarities in the perceptions and context of the two sets of physicians, presents evidence, that questions the support for MT and finally analyzes some key implications of MT on Indian health services, ethical issues emerging out of that and the need for understanding the linkages between public and private sectors for a more effective intervention for an equitable medical care policy.     

International stem cell tourism and the need for effective regulation. Part II: Developing sound oversight measures and effective patient support

Part I of this article, published in the March 2010 issue of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, traces and addresses the provision of unproven stem cell treatments in Russia and India, examines the concept of innovative treatment, and concludes that stronger regulations are needed to protect the health and informed choices of patients. The current paper, Part II, proposes that the regulatory frameworks for the development of safe and efficacious treatments in effect in the United States and the United Kingdom provide examples of strong oversight measures from which countries seeking to obtain international credibility for their biotechnological competence could draw when developing regulations for stem cell treatments. Major sources of information available to persons who consider receiving such unproven treatments are explored in order to understand and address their concerns. The paper concludes with proposed measures to inform those considering the pursuit of unproven stem cell treatments abroad more accurately about their efficacy and safety and provide them with improved medical and social support in their home countries.     

Bob and Carol and Tess and Ali

Conflicting religious experiences in different traditions do not necessarily defeat the rationality of conflicting beliefs sustained by those experiences in those traditions. The circularity that protects religious beliefs from such mutual defeat is not vicious. Moreover, the lack of ‘epistemological humility’ exhibited by such believers poses no threat to world peace. In fact, a campaign for compulsory humility would itself constitute a much greater threat.