Social learning as a link between the individual and the collective: evaluating deliberation on social values

TY - JOUR

T1 - Social learning as a link between the individual and the collective

T2 - evaluating deliberation on social values

AU - Eriksson, Max

AU - van Riper, Carena J.

AU - Leitschuh, Ben

AU - Bentley Brymer, Amanda

AU - Rawluk, Andrea

AU - Raymond, Christopher M.

AU - Kenter, Jasper O.

N1 - © Springer Japan KK, part of Springer Nature 2019. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.

PY - 2019/9/2

Y1 - 2019/9/2

N2 - The role of social learning in deliberative processes is an emerging area of research in sustainability science. Functioning as a link between the individual and the collective, social learning has been envisioned as a process that can empower and give voice to a diverse set of stakeholder viewpoints, contribute to more adaptive and resilient management decisions and foster broader societal transformations. However, despite its widespread use in the context of participatory management of natural resources, the empirical properties of social learning remain understudied. This paper evaluates the role of social interaction and social capital in achieving transformative learning in discussions about social values. We employ a longitudinal design involving three consecutive surveys of 25 participants of an expert workshop focused on social values, as well as approximately 12 hours of transcribed audio and video recordings of participant interactions. Our mixed methods approach demonstrates the potential of using changes in social networks and definitions of social values that emerge from qualitative coding as indicators of social learning. We find that individuals with a weaker conceptual understanding of social values are more likely to change their definitions of the concept after deliberation. Though slight, these changes display a shift towards definitions more firmly held by other group members.

AB - The role of social learning in deliberative processes is an emerging area of research in sustainability science. Functioning as a link between the individual and the collective, social learning has been envisioned as a process that can empower and give voice to a diverse set of stakeholder viewpoints, contribute to more adaptive and resilient management decisions and foster broader societal transformations. However, despite its widespread use in the context of participatory management of natural resources, the empirical properties of social learning remain understudied. This paper evaluates the role of social interaction and social capital in achieving transformative learning in discussions about social values. We employ a longitudinal design involving three consecutive surveys of 25 participants of an expert workshop focused on social values, as well as approximately 12 hours of transcribed audio and video recordings of participant interactions. Our mixed methods approach demonstrates the potential of using changes in social networks and definitions of social values that emerge from qualitative coding as indicators of social learning. We find that individuals with a weaker conceptual understanding of social values are more likely to change their definitions of the concept after deliberation. Though slight, these changes display a shift towards definitions more firmly held by other group members.

KW - Mixed methods

KW - Social capital

KW - Social learning

KW - Social values

KW - Sustainability

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85071479921&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s11625-019-00725-5

DO - 10.1007/s11625-019-00725-5

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85071479921

SN - 1862-4065

VL - 14

SP - 1323

EP - 1332

JO - Sustainability Science

JF - Sustainability Science

IS - 5

ER -