Guests & Their Needs
What Motivates Guests?
Why Zoos and Aquariums Matter was a study completed with the National Science Foundation. It's findings suggest a way to describe interpretive audiences that reflects their motivations for visiting instead of demographic or geographic descriptions. The study suggests aquarium and zoo guests can be understood in terms of the following five categories:
1) Explorers: are curiosity-driven and seek to learn more about whatever they might encounter at the institution. They might spend more time and get more involved. Potential volunteers often come from this group.
2) Facilitators: are focused primarily on sharing the experience with others. Parents and grandparents bringing children or locals bringing friends to the institution are part of this group.
3) Professional/Hobbyists: feel a close tie between the institution's content and their professional or hobbyist passions. This group enjoys seeing behind-the-scenes.
4) Experience Seekers: primarily get satisfaction from just visiting the important site and checking it off their bucket list. This group often wants memorabilia of the experience.
5) Rechargers: are primarily seeking a contemplative and/or restorative experience. This group may just want to sit and enjoy the institution without interpretive intervention.
Guest Needs
No matter a guest's motivations for visiting, all guests have the same basic needs. In 1954, Abraham Maslow's study of human behavior proposed that throughout their lives, as people sought to attend to their "higher selves", they could do so only if their basic and intermediate needs where attended to first. Though people may forgo a basic need (such as food) briefly to experience a walk in the rainforest, within a matter of days that nourishment need would be prioritized in order to survive. As interpreters, we often facilitate experiences that we hope will help guide guests in their lifelong journey towards self actualization or as Maslow called it, "moments of highest happiness".
As an interpreter (Gallery Ambassador) you can help guests meet their needs.
Basic Needs (physiological, safety, security)
Why Zoos and Aquariums Matter was a study completed with the National Science Foundation. It's findings suggest a way to describe interpretive audiences that reflects their motivations for visiting instead of demographic or geographic descriptions. The study suggests aquarium and zoo guests can be understood in terms of the following five categories:
1) Explorers: are curiosity-driven and seek to learn more about whatever they might encounter at the institution. They might spend more time and get more involved. Potential volunteers often come from this group.
2) Facilitators: are focused primarily on sharing the experience with others. Parents and grandparents bringing children or locals bringing friends to the institution are part of this group.
3) Professional/Hobbyists: feel a close tie between the institution's content and their professional or hobbyist passions. This group enjoys seeing behind-the-scenes.
4) Experience Seekers: primarily get satisfaction from just visiting the important site and checking it off their bucket list. This group often wants memorabilia of the experience.
5) Rechargers: are primarily seeking a contemplative and/or restorative experience. This group may just want to sit and enjoy the institution without interpretive intervention.
Guest Needs
No matter a guest's motivations for visiting, all guests have the same basic needs. In 1954, Abraham Maslow's study of human behavior proposed that throughout their lives, as people sought to attend to their "higher selves", they could do so only if their basic and intermediate needs where attended to first. Though people may forgo a basic need (such as food) briefly to experience a walk in the rainforest, within a matter of days that nourishment need would be prioritized in order to survive. As interpreters, we often facilitate experiences that we hope will help guide guests in their lifelong journey towards self actualization or as Maslow called it, "moments of highest happiness".
As an interpreter (Gallery Ambassador) you can help guests meet their needs.
Basic Needs (physiological, safety, security)
- Provide health, comfort, and sanitation (know the locations of restrooms, cafe, other amenities)
- Have first aid available (or know how to contact security), advise guests on safety measures (how to safely touch animals or interact with an exhibit)
- Act consistently (impress with the best)
Intermediate Needs (love/belonging, esteem, knowledge)
- Use guests names (ask what their names are)
- Thank guests for visiting
- Use practical applications of concepts and ideas (sometimes simple language is better)
Growth Needs (understanding, aesthetic, self-actualization)
- Suggest self-motivating activities (conservation initiatives, citizen science projects)
- Offer opportunities for informal observations
- Provide resources for exploration (visit our website for public program offerings, join our volunteer team)
1 point
True or False: Guest must have their basic needs met before being able to focus on intermediate needs.
1 point
True or False: As a volunteer, you can help guests with basic and intermediate needs.