Situational and dispositional mediators to elicit advocacy towards heritage protection

Through an experimental study, we show that the mechanism that transforms attitude towards heritage protection into a behavioural predisposition differs between natural and cultural heritages. Specifically, the relationship between attitude and behavioural predisposition towards the protection of cultural heritage is mediated by the identification with culture. Conversely, the relationship between attitude and behavioural predisposition towards the protection of natural heritage is mediated by the identification with nature. Making social norms more accessible (e.g., promoting the social and historical ties of the site) may be more useful for cultural destinations, while making subjective norms more salient (e.g., promoting one’s own personal ties with nature and thus with the site) may work better for natural destinations.