This thesis explores relationships between consumption and conservation, via a case study of North American conservationists. I conducted an online survey (n=24), and examined respondent statements about their own consumption and that of others. Here, I consider these within contexts of community messaging, and related literatures (political ecology; consumption studies; social marketing). Four key themes emerge: 1) a primarily negative association with the term consumption, which influences and limits engagements with consumption; 2) mixed messaging about some encouraged consumption (e.g. sustainable seafood is promoted within this community, but is debated by respondents and researchers); 3) over-confidence in information provision as key to changing consumer behaviour, despite evidence to the contrary; and 4) limited recognition of ISTCC community success and power with respect to promoting and benefitting from “consuming to conserve” activities. This thesis ends with academic and applied recommendations for more comprehensive engagements with intersections between consumption and conservation.
Men are stereotyped as more physically competent than women. The stereotyping of women’s poor performance creates the conditions for stereotype threat. Stereotype threat, the fear of confirming a stereotype, can undermine women’s performances and participation in sports. Stereotype threat, however, has not been tested in strength-building activities. The present study experimentally tests whether stereotype threat undermines women’s willingness to perform unmodified push-ups and undermines their push-up performance. Women were assigned to four conditions: a stereotype-threat condition, an implicit stereotype-threat condition, a relief condition, and a control condition. Under stereotype threat, women were expected to choose modified over unmodified push-ups and, among those performing unmodified push-ups, to complete fewer push-ups than women in the other conditions. These hypotheses were not supported. During debriefings, women described their experiences related to push-ups and strength training. A thematic analysis of women’s debriefings offers insight into the gender complexities of women’s engagement with strength training.
