IMELDA Conceptual Framework Edited
IMELDA Conceptual Framework Edited
IMELDA Conceptual Framework Edited
This study is generally anchored on the concept of Behavioral Psychology which points
out that human beings actions or behaviors are guided by laws existing in their respective
environment. This belief rests on assumptions that behavior is lawful by which peoples behavior
is entirely affected by their environment and if the laws of behavior are known, it is more likely
According to Torell and Salamanca (2002), one way to control the behavior of the people
and make them fully aware of their environment is through community participation. The two
further emphasized that community participation is crucial to the success of any regulatory
program. In this case, there is a higher probability of success when the community, the people, is
involved at the earliest stages of the implementation of any regulatory programs through the
However, though behaviors can be controlled by the laws existing in the environment,
increased in the possibility of awareness and strict adherence to the law are still triggered by some
incentives and etc. Hence to achieve this full capacity to control the desirable peoples behavior,
implementers and administrators or leaders entice them with different forms of incentives. This
further support the claims of Watson and Tharp (1985) that there is a considerable agreement that
behavior is at least partially lawful- that the environment in which people find themselves can
substantially alter how they behave. If they discover the laws relating behavior to the environment,
there seems little doubt that their capacity to control behavior would increase.
This was explicitly supported by Tolmans Latent Learning theory wherein it claims that
human learning and awareness are not exhibited in overt performance until there is an incentive to
do so. Therefore unlike animals, peoples behaviors to learn and become fully aware of their
Also, the perspective of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) on how both environmental and
cognitive factors interact to influence human learning and behavior is helpful in this study.
Theorists of SCT also assert that expectations of future reinforcements and punishments can have
Behavioral theorist Jean Piaget states that people interact with their environment through
two unchanging processes which he called the functions known as assimilation and
mechanism of human beings where he termed it as the conditioning effect. To Piaget, humans
Hence this study adheres to the concept of Behavioral Psychology particularly on Tolmans
Latent Learning Theory and Piagets Conditioning Theory specifically on assimilation and
accommodation; and on the idea of SCT where this perceives the influence of the society,
With the theories and concepts presented here, this study views that problems on fisheries
sector particularly on illegal fishing activities and exploitation of fishery and aquatic resources are
attributed by the fisherfolks lack of awareness to the existing fishery laws, the punishment and
penalties imposed, which is assumed to be due to the lax implementation of the provisions of the
Philippines Fishery Code of 1998 to be exact. Using the typologies of Social Cognitive Theory
and Behavioral Theories will determine the effect or influence of the existing programs, projects,
and activities of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in increasing the awareness level
of fisherfolk about the R.A. 8550 which will stop the activities which damage the fishery and
aquatic resources.
Based from the theories presented in this paper, they note that awareness and actions of
humans are influenced by the activities conducted in their locality which has relevance to the
concepts stipulated in such law for instance their awareness of the laws existing in the government
law.
On the other hand, it is also perceived that some variables can influence the awareness level
of the people in regulatory programs like their age, sex, socio-economic status, educational
First, the older the person is, it is perceived that he/she has a wider knowledge of what is
happening around him/her. Second, girls tend to be more assertive in terms of knowing the
happenings in their environment. Third, the poorer the person is the greater is the probability that
they are enticed with incentives. Next, the higher educational attainment of the person has, he/she
is more abreast to knowledge. Lastly, the more training a person had attended will definitely mean
Philippine National
Aquasilviculture Program
(PNAP)
Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources Management Profile of the respondents as to:
Council
age
Farmers and Fisherfolk
sex
Month Celebration
Activities socio-economic status
Illegal, Unreported, highest educational
Unregulated Fishing (IUUF) attainment
fishery-related trainings
attended