Plain language summary – Ivory is more than just a status symbol

By Molly Brown, Shuo Gao, Victoria Wells, and Colin Beale

This Plain Language Summary is published in advance of the paper discussed. Please check back soon for a link to the full paper.

In China, elephant ivory has long held cultural importance. It was once reserved for upper elites, but despite it being illegal to trade, for some it remains a symbol of wealth and status.

Ivory is often the focus of conservation campaigns that aim to reduce demand by changing consumer behaviour. Many of these campaigns use advertising, media, and public service announcements to encourage people not to buy ivory. A common assumption is that people buy ivory mainly to show off their social status, but this explanation only scratches the surface as to why people will illegally buy ivory.

Our study set out to explore the deeper reasons behind ivory consumption. We reviewed the existing academic literature and used approaches based on the behaviour of consumers to understand the psychological, social, and structural factors that influence demand. This approach helped us see useful patterns and interactions between these factors to see the bigger picture of what affects ivory consumer behaviour. For example, we found that how people want to be seen when giving gifts is shaped by social expectations within their communities, and these expectations can also be more broadly influenced by governance measures, such as trade bans. To dig deeper into these consumer motivations, we also used research ideas that tie behaviour directly to culture. This allowed us to identify different groups of buyers, such as hobbyist collectors, who may engage with ivory for reasons beyond status. We also found that social connections and networks play an important role in people’s cultural interests and identity, which is important to consider for understanding what motivates ivory consumers.

This matters because understanding behaviour in greater depth is key to making conservation interventions more effective. Our approach offers a way of tackling complex problems and provides a case study that can be applied to other wildlife products, such as rhino horn and rosewood. By looking beneath the surface, campaign practitioners can create messages that better reflect people’s values and real lives, and not just tell them what to do.