A University of Alberta study reveals what pushes people to follow safe wildlife practices on busy mountain trails to avoid encountering bears, cougars and wolves.
A 2023 survey of 601 hikers and bikers using trails around Canmore, Alberta, explored whether people are most influenced by a sense of personal responsibility, what’s expected of them by others, or their own feelings of attachment to the place.
Feeling personally responsible made people more likely to turn back after a wildlife sighting, stay on marked paths and avoid trails with active wildlife warnings, the study showed. Peer pressure and even a strong connection to Canmore’s outdoors didn’t change behaviour in the same way. Similarly, locals were not more likely than visitors to take these sorts of safer actions.
“Personal norms make people feel they ought to act in a certain way, even when no one is watching,” notes researcher Michelle Murphy, co-lead of the study with Elizabeth Halpenny.
That insight can help tailor trail signage, she suggests.
“Instead of stating, ‘Bear activity in this area,’ it could read, ‘Grizzly bears share this landscape. Your choices help keep them safe.’ It links actions like carrying bear spray to positive co-existence with wildlife.”