SocArXiv Preprint
Our lab has found that long-distance friendships can support contribution to natural resource management on coastal Tanzania (Smith et al. Conservation Letters). However, people don’t always have the time, money, or ability to form long-distance relationships, even if they’re motivated to. What about that motivation – is being motivated to form long-distance relationships, even in their absence, predictive of participating in natural resource management that benefits multiple communities?
We find that it is: independent of having long-distance relationships, participants on coastal Tanzania with more “long-distance orientation” (LDO) are more likely to participate in fisheries management. What’s more, in a US sample, we find that LDO is probably distinct from being Open or Extraverted. We discuss the implications of these findings and next steps for validating LDO for use in Tanzania and elsewhere.