Attributes Influencing Visitors’ Experiences in Conservation Centers with Different Social Identities: A Topic Modeling Approach

The importance of charismatic flagship species (CFSs) in efforts to raise public awareness of conservation has been widely recognized. However, the effect of differences in social identities on shaping visitors’ experiences remains underexplored, although these differences can inform the development...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhongkai Li, Ping Chen, Jian Ming Luo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Systems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/6/442
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850164539958493184
author Zhongkai Li
Ping Chen
Jian Ming Luo
author_facet Zhongkai Li
Ping Chen
Jian Ming Luo
author_sort Zhongkai Li
collection DOAJ
description The importance of charismatic flagship species (CFSs) in efforts to raise public awareness of conservation has been widely recognized. However, the effect of differences in social identities on shaping visitors’ experiences remains underexplored, although these differences can inform the development of inclusive and culturally sensitive conservation strategies to increase visitors’ satisfaction in conservation centers. This study explores how cultural social identities influence visitors’ conservation experiences, particularly how the out-group homogeneity effect shapes individuals’ perceptions of CFSs. This effect can help to explain why visitors from different cultural backgrounds often perceive CFSs in a homogenized manner. Based on data collected from 6804 online reviews of a giant panda conservation center, this study employs anchored CorEx topic modeling and regression analysis. This research develops a novel framework for understanding how CFSs contribute to visitors’ experiences in conservation centers. It reveals that social identities affect interactions not only among people, but also between people and culturally significant animals. These findings offer practical implications for conservation center management.
format Article
id doaj-art-7b558f191a9a4cdb9c84b2a116822c05
institution OA Journals
issn 2079-8954
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Systems
spelling doaj-art-7b558f191a9a4cdb9c84b2a116822c052025-08-20T02:21:58ZengMDPI AGSystems2079-89542025-06-0113644210.3390/systems13060442Attributes Influencing Visitors’ Experiences in Conservation Centers with Different Social Identities: A Topic Modeling ApproachZhongkai Li0Ping Chen1Jian Ming Luo2The Institute for Social and Cultural Research, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, ChinaThe Institute for Social and Cultural Research, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, ChinaSchool of Liberal Arts, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, ChinaThe importance of charismatic flagship species (CFSs) in efforts to raise public awareness of conservation has been widely recognized. However, the effect of differences in social identities on shaping visitors’ experiences remains underexplored, although these differences can inform the development of inclusive and culturally sensitive conservation strategies to increase visitors’ satisfaction in conservation centers. This study explores how cultural social identities influence visitors’ conservation experiences, particularly how the out-group homogeneity effect shapes individuals’ perceptions of CFSs. This effect can help to explain why visitors from different cultural backgrounds often perceive CFSs in a homogenized manner. Based on data collected from 6804 online reviews of a giant panda conservation center, this study employs anchored CorEx topic modeling and regression analysis. This research develops a novel framework for understanding how CFSs contribute to visitors’ experiences in conservation centers. It reveals that social identities affect interactions not only among people, but also between people and culturally significant animals. These findings offer practical implications for conservation center management.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/6/442conservation centertopic modelingexperience attributessocial identityonline reviewpanda
spellingShingle Zhongkai Li
Ping Chen
Jian Ming Luo
Attributes Influencing Visitors’ Experiences in Conservation Centers with Different Social Identities: A Topic Modeling Approach
Systems
conservation center
topic modeling
experience attributes
social identity
online review
panda
title Attributes Influencing Visitors’ Experiences in Conservation Centers with Different Social Identities: A Topic Modeling Approach
title_full Attributes Influencing Visitors’ Experiences in Conservation Centers with Different Social Identities: A Topic Modeling Approach
title_fullStr Attributes Influencing Visitors’ Experiences in Conservation Centers with Different Social Identities: A Topic Modeling Approach
title_full_unstemmed Attributes Influencing Visitors’ Experiences in Conservation Centers with Different Social Identities: A Topic Modeling Approach
title_short Attributes Influencing Visitors’ Experiences in Conservation Centers with Different Social Identities: A Topic Modeling Approach
title_sort attributes influencing visitors experiences in conservation centers with different social identities a topic modeling approach
topic conservation center
topic modeling
experience attributes
social identity
online review
panda
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/6/442
work_keys_str_mv AT zhongkaili attributesinfluencingvisitorsexperiencesinconservationcenterswithdifferentsocialidentitiesatopicmodelingapproach
AT pingchen attributesinfluencingvisitorsexperiencesinconservationcenterswithdifferentsocialidentitiesatopicmodelingapproach
AT jianmingluo attributesinfluencingvisitorsexperiencesinconservationcenterswithdifferentsocialidentitiesatopicmodelingapproach