Attributes Influencing Visitors’ Experiences in Conservation Centers with Different Social Identities: A Topic Modeling Approach

The importance of charismatic flagship species (CFSs) in efforts to raise public awareness of conservation has been widely recognized. However, the effect of differences in social identities on shaping visitors’ experiences remains underexplored, although these differences can inform the development of inclusive and culturally sensitive conservation strategies to increase visitors’ satisfaction in conservation centers. This study explores how cultural social identities influence visitors’ conservation experiences, particularly how the out-group homogeneity effect shapes individuals’ perceptions of CFSs. This effect can help to explain why visitors from different cultural backgrounds often perceive CFSs in a homogenized manner. Based on data collected from 6804 online reviews of a giant panda conservation center, this study employs anchored CorEx topic modeling and regression analysis. This research develops a novel framework for understanding how CFSs contribute to visitors’ experiences in conservation centers. It reveals that social identities affect interactions not only among people, but also between people and culturally significant animals. These findings offer practical implications for conservation center management.