Landini, Fernando (author), Beramendi, Maite (author), and University of La Cuenca del Plata
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)
School of Psychology, University of Buenos Aires
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2019-07-24
Published:
Argentina: Taylor and Francis
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 101 Document Number: D10880
18 pages, online journal article, Purpose
This article aims at designing and validating a psychometric scale to assess extensionists’ and advisors’ beliefs about extension and innovation.
Design/Methodology/approach
The scale was developed by drawing upon results from a previous empirical research as well as insights from a literature review on extension and innovation approaches. The theoretical framework used to write the items was validated by 12 international experts from 11 countries. 608 Argentine extension workers completed the questionnaire. Replies were analysed using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.
Findings
The scale has a good fit and satisfactory level of internal consistency. Five factors were identified: Dialogue and horizontal coordination; Transfer of technology; Blame on farmers; Participatory, farmer-led extension; and Self-critical attitude.
Practical implications
The scale has multiple and different uses, including research, theory development, institutional practice, diagnosis, and teaching.
Theoretical implications
Results show that a horizontal, facilitative extension approach shares a common epistemology, as well as underlying values and assumptions, with territorial development and with an innovation systems perspective, and that both contrast with a traditional transfer of technology approach. Nonetheless, practitioners would not tend to see these two contrasting perspectives as contradictory but as complementary.
Originality/Value
The scale is the first validated psychometric instrument, based on an ample theoretical framework, that allows for a quantitative assessment of beliefs about extension and innovation.
11 pages., Online from journal by open access., Researchers surveyed residents of the wildland-urban interface to determine the effects of contextual factors such as location of the forest, its primary use, wildfire history, and current fire conditions on acceptability of prescribed burning, mechanical thinning, and doing nothing.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 119 Document Number: C13539
Notes:
10 p., APEN (Australasia Pacific Extension Network) 2001 International Conference, Oct3-5, 2001, at University of South queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
1 page., Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Communication Association. Special issue article., Authors meta-analyzed 57 studies, conducted in 13 countries with a cumulative N of 42,854. Findings suggested that while pictorial warnings increased affective and some cognitive risk appraisals, they did not increase beliefs about disease risk.
24 pages., Via online journal., We examined the relationship between attitudes toward urban ecological restoration and cognitive (perceived outcomes, value orientation, and objective knowledge), affective (emotional responses), and behavioral factors using residents of the Chicago Metropolitan Region. Positive and negative attitudes were both related to perceived outcomes of ecological restoration. In addition, positive attitudes were related to values while negative attitudes were related to emotions. Attitudes of high and low importance groups were connected to perceived outcomes of ecological restoration; however, attitudes of the high importance group were also related to values, emotions, and behavior. Positive and negative attitude groups differed on perceived outcomes, basic beliefs, knowledge, and behavior. Implications lie in understanding of complex attitudes toward natural resource issues and improved communication efforts to influence or educate the public.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 153 Document Number: D11620
Journal Title Details:
20 : 571-589
Notes:
20 pages., Online via UI e-subscription, Findings of a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults identified four clusters of U.S. consumers with unique sets of beliefs and motives regarding consumer environmentalism.The clusters had varying responses to the industry's initiatives to protect the environment.
