Social Values towards Time and Their Effect on Sustainable Development Performance
Gleason, Nancy.
2011
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Abstract: This research examines whether sustainable forest management, a
proxy for sustainable development performance, is influenced by social values towards
time, known as temporal orientation. Temporal orientation is the way an individual views
time, and future-directed temporal orientation relates to the anticipated causality of
future events. This research tested the congruence between ... read moresustainable forest management
and future-directed temporal orientation in three case studies, Guyana, Papua New Guinea
and Suriname. Sustainable forest management performance was measured by applying seven
specific criteria and indicators. Future directed temporal orientation was measured using
five identified behavioral expressions: precautionary behavior, values toward
intergenerational equity, access to quality education, corruption levels and the
prevalence of secure property rights. Of the five identified social values reviewed here
intergenerational equity, precautionary behavior, and property rights all demonstrated
strong predictability of future-directed temporal orientation. However, education and
corruption failed to provide definitive evidence of temporal orientation due to
intervening variables. The main finding is that future-directed social values do
positively correlate with strong sustainable forest management performance. Guyana's
strong sustainable forest management correlated strongly with future directed temporal
orientation, and Papua New Guineas relatively weak sustainable forest management
performance correlated strongly with that country's lack of future directed temporal
orientation. The gravity with which Suriname is unable to provide secure property rights
does not correlate with the moderate sustainable forest management performance it
exhibits. The findings of this research provide a new way to improve sustainable forest
management and inform best practice for the success of the United Nations Reduced
Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) program. The findings also identify a
new tool, social values towards time, to tackle global climate change mitigation
challenges.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 2011.
Submitted to the Dept. of Diplomacy, History, and Politics.
Advisor: William Moomaw.
Committee: William Martel, and Patrick Verkooijen.
Keywords: Sustainability, International relations, and Political Science.read less - ID:
- bc386w73f
- Component ID:
- tufts:20694
- To Cite:
- TARC Citation Guide EndNote
