More than reason: the roles of emotion in nature conservation decision-making processes

Abstract Prevailing narratives within the conservation decision-making literature argue conservation professionals should utilize rational, objective methods that do not engage emotion to make decisions. However, as conservation professionals are emotional beings, it is inevitable that emotion will be present during such processes. Perpetuated narratives and limited investigation into the involvement of conservation professionals’ emotion in decision-making processes mean the emotional selves of conservationists continue to be denied and unexplored, potentially hindering transformative change. To trouble these prevalent narratives, I investigate if and how conservationists’ emotion is involved in decision-making and whether external structures influence this involvement. Sixteen conservation professionals took part in this study. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, the diary method and a workshop, and were subjected to a thematic analysis. The findings demonstrate that conservationists’ emotion plays three roles within conservation decision-making processes: as a way of knowing, as a (de)motivator, and as a relationship shaper. These roles are not recognized or nurtured, and this is predominantly influenced by organizational culture. These findings indicate the need for conservation organizations to create healthy emotional cultures, to in turn enable professionals to acknowledge, and utilize, the roles of emotion within their work. Additionally, creating organizational cultures that encourage and enable the expression of, engagement with, and reflection on emotion could support conservationists to enact transformative change and transform the field of conservation itself.