Use of Principal Components Analysis to Assess Cultural Models of Land Conservation

Background / Purpose: The goal of this mixed-mode study was a deeper understanding of the diverse ways that stakeholders use cultural knowledge to understand approaches to protect working landscapes, e.g. a mosaic of private and public properties.We applied principal components analysis to data from a survey instrument designed to measure validity of cultural schemas associated with the cognitive construct of “land conservation”. Survey questions were informed by in-depth qualitative interviews structured to identify the range of cultural beliefs and values that stakeholders express about diverse topics, such as land conservation, development, rural livelihoods, rural heritage, nature and community. Main conclusion: We show how disparities between the two complementary analyses can help sharpen the cultural model approach, by stimulating a closer look at survey items that do not load as expected on principal components.