Exploring Additional Determinants of Environmentally Responsible Behavior: The Influence of Environmental Literature and Environmental Attitudes

Autor/inn/en	Mobley, Catherine; Vagias, Wade M.; DeWard, Sarah L.
Titel	Exploring Additional Determinants of Environmentally Responsible Behavior: The Influence of Environmental Literature and Environmental Attitudes
Quelle	In: Environment and Behavior, 42 (2010) 4, S.420-447 (28 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0013-9165
DOI	10.1177/0013916508325002
Schlagwörter	Environmental Education; Political Attitudes; Citizenship Responsibility; Ecology; Books; Correlation; Literature; Predictor Variables; Gender Differences; Educational Attainment; Conservation (Environment); World Views + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Umweltbildung; Umwelterziehung; Umweltpädagogik; Political attitude; Politische Einstellung; Ökologie; Book; Buch; Monographie; Monografie; Korrelation; Literatur; Prädiktor; Geschlechterkonflikt; Bildungsabschluss; Bildungsgut; Conservation; Environment; Konservierung; Bewahung; Umwelt; World view; Weltanschauung
Abstract	It is often assumed that individuals who are knowledgeable and concerned about the environment will engage in environmentally responsible behavior (ERB). We use data from a large scale Web survey hosted on National Geographic's Web site in 2001-2002 to investigate this premise. We examine whether reading three classic environmental books ("Walden," "A Sand County Almanac," and "Silent Spring") is associated with the likelihood of engaging in ERB. Conceptualizing this activity as a formative experience and a source of environmental knowledge, we hypothesized that reading such literature would be a stronger predictor of ERB than sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., gender, education, and political orientation), general environmental attitudes (as measured by the New Ecological Paradigm), and concern about specific environmental risks. The results indicated that while reading environmental literature was a stronger predictor of ERB than background characteristics and the NEP, environmental concern was an even stronger predictor. We offer reasons for these findings and make suggestions for environmental education and future research. (Contains 4 tables and 1 note.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10