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Updated: Jun 19, 2026
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The Use of the Puzzle Box as a Means of Assessing the Efficacy of Environmental Enrichment
Published on: December 29, 2014
Intrinsic and extrinsic rewards in a nonformal environmental education program
Emily A Price1, Joanne Vining, Carol D Saunders
1Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322, USA. Emily.Price@usu.edu
Zoo Biology
|October 13, 2009
Summary
Rewards in zoo-based environmental education programs can motivate participants and strengthen precursors to environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) in both children and adults.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Education
- Conservation Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Environmental problems necessitate increased environmentally responsible behavior (ERB).
- Environmental education (EE) aims to foster ERB precursors like knowledge and attitudes, but its effectiveness is debated.
- Nonformal learning environments, such as zoos, offer unique opportunities for EE.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of rewards in encouraging ERB precursors within a zoo-based Nature Swap program.
- To understand participant and staff perceptions of reward effectiveness in a nonformal EE setting.
Main Methods:
- Semistructured interviews were conducted with 91 participants (38 children, 38 adult guardians, 15 staff).
- Interviews explored the perceived importance of rewards in the Nature Swap program.
- Content analysis and coding were used to identify key themes regarding rewards and ERB precursors.
Main Results:
- Adult guardians and staff identified intrinsic and extrinsic rewards as key to sustained motivation and interest.
- Participants reported enhanced precursors to environmentally responsible behavior (ERB).
- Adults perceived that program rewards led to children spending more quality time outdoors and increased environmental awareness.
Conclusions:
- Rewards can be effective tools in nonformal environmental education programs for enhancing motivation and fostering ERB precursors.
- Findings suggest that incorporating rewards into EE and conservation programs may strengthen their impact on participants' environmental attitudes and behaviors.
- Zoo-based programs utilizing rewards show potential for increasing outdoor engagement and environmental awareness in children.
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