Extrinsic motivators drive children's cooperation to conserve forests

Abstract

Forests are essential common-pool resources. It is increasingly critical to nurture a lifelong concern for forest health both locally and globally. Here, in two experiments, we demonstrate that school age children (6-18 yrs. old; N>1000;) of three nationalities (China, D. R. Congo and U.S.) do not have levels of intrinsic motivation to allow for successful cooperation in common-pool goods games requiring them to maintain a forest. We instead find that the size, timing, and certainty of receiving individual payoffs from cooperation significantly boost the odds of successful conservation efforts. We also provide evidence that the experience of playing this game increases longer term motivation to conserve forests. Results have implications for designing policy and curriculum to encourage collective action for forest conservation. One Sentence SummaryExtrinsic motivation boosts concern for forests among children and adolescents in the United States, China, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.