Deliberating coral reef protection – Cultural Theory tested

Abstract

Cultural Theory has been tested in various ways and across different topics. This study sought to extend the literature on Cultural Theory’s prediction that different cultural biases emerge in every social interaction by applying a structured observation method to the local level but complex issue of coral reef protection in Sulawesi of Indonesia. Three deliberative approaches, Musyawarah, focus group discussions, and planning cells, were selected to encourage public discussions. Different statements on how to protect coral reefs emerged from the discussions, reflecting different cultural biases. However, this study was unable to confirm Cultural Theory’s hypothesis that four opposing cultural biases emerge within every social interaction: only hierarchical, egalitarian, and individualistic biases were strongly evident in the study; fatalism was not. In response, this paper recommends that further research replicate and improve the study’s methods.