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2016 Autumn | Agriculture and Food Systems, Arts & Humanities, Education & Outreach

The Insect Barrier: Changing Perceptions of Insects to get Children Outside

Student(s):

Emily Schwartz

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Sarah Geurkink

Partner(s):

  • The UW Farm

Faculty advisor(s):

Eli Wheat, Program on the Environment

During this project, I worked at the UW farm in an attempt to understand why certain people develop negative perceptions of insects. Specifically, I looked at the discomfort and fear associated with insects and how our perceptions of them hinder a positive outdoor experience. Using a survey I looked at external influences during childhood that informed adult perceptions of insects, and how we might alter environmental education to build positive perceptions rather than negative ones. I found that early environmental education intervention had the most significant impact on a person’s positive and negative perceptions of insects.