Human Psychology in Marine Protected Areas Management

1 - Therefore, a better understanding of human psychology and behaviour, including the knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, values and actions of multiple stakeholders, should become an essential feature of future research in MPAs {Marine Protected Areas}. Without a better understanding of people, why they do what they do and how to better support pro-environmental behaviour, many of the challenges facing MPA management will remain unsolved. Fundamentally, the effectiveness of MPAs in the future is likely to depend as much on environmental social scientists’ understanding of people as on natural scientists’ understanding of ecology. 2 - Another emerging research frontier is the application of theoretical frameworks adapted from criminological disciplines to understand and measure non-compliance in MPAs {Marine Protected Areas}.