What the study found
The study found that the COM-B model, which refers to capability, opportunity, and motivation as parts of behavior, can help explain how practitioners communicate with landowners about living with North American beavers.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors suggest the model can go beyond audience analysis and intervention design by helping practitioners tailor real-time communication about coexistence behavior. They conclude it may also help practitioners make sense of their existing communication efforts, identify gaps, and adjust communication dynamically.
What the researchers tested
The researchers conducted 23 semistructured interviews with conservation practitioners in Oregon, USA, who work with private landowners on beaver coexistence. They used the COM-B model to synthesize the main dimensions of the practitioners' communication, even though the interviews were not originally designed to ask about COM-B directly.
What worked and what didn't
Practitioners used multiple communication channels to listen for and respond to landowners' capability, opportunity, and motivation. They tailored messages to support knowledge and skills, address site-specific and social contexts, and align beaver impacts with landowner goals.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe quantitative outcomes or compare this approach with another communication method. It also does not describe limitations beyond the fact that the analysis was based on practitioner interviews in Oregon.
Key points
- The study found that the COM-B model can help explain communication about beaver coexistence with landowners.
- Practitioners used multiple communication channels to respond to capability, opportunity, and motivation.
- Messages were tailored to build knowledge and skills, address local context, and align with landowner goals.
- The authors say the model may help practitioners identify gaps and adjust communication dynamically.
- The analysis was based on 23 semistructured interviews with practitioners in Oregon.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- COM-B model helped frame beaver coexistence communication
- Authors:
- Brian Erickson, Megan S. Jones
- Institutions:
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Publication date:
- 2026-01-07
- OpenAlex record:
- View
- Image credit:
- Photo by Erik Mclean on Pexels · Pexels License
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