Harnessing visual media in environmental education: increasing knowledge of orangutan conservation issues and facilitating sustainable behaviour through video presentations

Many animals are currently facing extinction. Conservation education which highlights the impacts of our behaviour on other species survival is crucial. This study provides evidence for the use of visual media to increase knowledge, attitudes and conservation behaviours regarding the highly endangered orangutan. University students (n = 126) were shown two styles of educational presentation (knowledge-based, emotive), representative of material widely available through the internet. Participants were randomly assigned to groups, with presentation order counterbalanced. A repeated measures between groups ANCOVA revealed significant increases in knowledge about orangutans over time (p < 0.001), with a significant main effect of group condition (p < 0.001). An interaction between time and condition was also observed (p < 0.001). For participant attitudes toward orangutans, only a significant main effect of time was detected (p = 0.001). Regardless of presentation order, maximum increases occurred with the cumulative effect of both presentations. Behavioural data suggests knowledge and attitude changes translated into actual, at least short term, behaviour change, with 84.8% of participants who returned a behaviour diary (36.5% return rate) reporting changing their behaviour in the week following the study. The potential wide-ranging application of such forms of media to spread environmental messages and foster more sustainable behaviour is discussed.