This study examined the relative powerof sociodemographic, knowledge, and attitudinal variables in predicting environmental concem and indifference in young people, using data from a subsample of 1,089 13- to 1 6-year-olds who participated in a U.K. survey on public understanding of science. The best discriminator between environmentally concemed and indifferent young people was self-reported level of knowledge about specific environmental issues. Level of scientific knowledge and exposure to television science programs were also powerful discriminators after the social class effect was considered. In addition, attitudes toward scientific changes were a good discriminating factor, after the effects of social class and knowledge were taken into account. However, age contributed only slightly in predicting environmental concern and indifference, and sex and personal commitment to science made no significant contribution. These findings support prior researchers' assertions that views about science relate to environmental attitudes and have implications for environmental education.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Arcury, T. A. , & Christianson, E. H. (1990). Environmental worldview in response to environmental problems: Kentucky 1984 and 1988 compared. Environment and Behavior, 22, 387-407.
2.
Arcury, T. A. , Scollay, S. J., & Johnson, T. P. (1987). Sex differences in environmental concern and knowledge: The case of acid rain. Sex Roles, 16, 463-472.
3.
Becker, B. J. (1989). Gender and science achievement: A reanalysis of studies from two meta-analyses. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 26, 141-169.
4.
Blum, A. (1987). Students' knowledge and beliefs conceming environmental issues in four countries. Journal of Environmental Education, 18, 7-13.
5.
Borden, R. J. , & Schettino, A. R (1979). Determinants of environmentally responsible behavior. Journal of Environmental Education, 10, 35-39.
6.
Breakwell, G. M. (1992). Scientists of the next generation. Education and Training, 34, 17-19.
7.
Bryant, C. , & Hungerford, H. (1977). An analysis of strategies for teaching environmental concepts and values clarification in kindergarten. Journal of Environmental Education, 9,44-49.
8.
Buttel, F. , & Flinn, W. (1978). The politics of environmental concem: The impacts of party identification and political ideology on environmental attitudes. Environment and Behavior, 10, 17-36.
9.
Chawla, L. (1988). Children's concern for the natural environment. Children's Environment Quarterly, 5,13-20.
10.
Dunlap, R. E. , & Van Liere, K. D. (1984). Commitment to Dominant Social Paradigm and concem for environmental quality. Social Science Quarterly, 65, 1013-1065.
11.
Durant, J. R. , Evans, G. A., & Thomas, G. P. (1989). The public understanding of science. Nature, 340, 11-14.
12.
Fortner, R. , & Teates, T. (1980). Baseline studies for marine education: Experiences related to marine knowledge and attitudes. Journal of Environmental Education, 11, 11-19.
13.
Hounshell, R , & Liggett, L. (1973). Assessing the effectiveness of environmental education. Journal of Environmental Education, 5, 28-30.
14.
lozzi, L. A. (1989). What research says to the educator. Journal of Environmental Education, 20, 3-9.
15.
Iverson, R. L. (1975). An analysis of the interrelationship of environmental knowledge and environmental concem. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Montana.
16.
Keen, M. (1991). The effect of the Sunship Earth Programme on knowledge and attitude development. Joumal of Environmental Education, 22, 28-32.
17.
Kinsey, T. G. , & Wheatley, J. H. (1980). An instrument to inventory the defensibility of environmental attitudes. Joumal of Environmental Education, 12, 29-35.
18.
Kuhn, D. J. (1979). Study of the attitudes of secondary school students toward energy-related issues. Science Education, 63, 609-620.
19.
Lipsey, M. W. (1977). The personal antecedents and consequences of ecologically responsible behavior: A review. JSAS Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 7, 70-71.
20.
Maloney, M. R , Ward, M. R, & Braucht, G. N. (1975). A revised scale for the measurement of ecological attitudes and knowledge. American Psychologist, 30, 787-790.
21.
Miller, J. (1975). The development of pre-adult attitudes toward environmental conservation. School Science and Mathematics, 75, 729-737.
22.
Moore, H. (1981). Energy related information-attitude measures of college age students. Joumal of Environmental Education, 12, 30-33.
23.
Morrison, D. E. , Homback, K. E., & Wamer, W. K. (1972). The environmental movement: Some preliminary observations and predictions. In W. R. Burch, Jr., W. H. Cheek, Jr., & Taylor (Eds.), Social behaviour, natural resources and the environment. New York: Harper & Row.
24.
Newhouse, N. (1990). Implications of attitude and behavior research for environmental conservation. Joumal of Environmental Education, 21, 26-32.
25.
Prandy, K. , Stewart, A., Blackburn, R. M. (1982). White collar work. London: Macmillan.
26.
Ramsey, C. , & Rickson, R. (1976). Environmental knowledge and attitudes. Joumal of Environmental Education, 8,10-18.
27.
Robertson, I. J. (1987). Girls and boys and practical science. International Joumal of Science Education, 9,505-518.
28.
Roth, R. E. , & Perez, J. (1989). Twelfth grade student knowledge and attitudes toward the environment in the Dominican Republic: An assessment. Joumal of Environmental Education, 20, 10-14.
29.
Samdahl, D. M. , & Robertson, R. (1989). Social determinants of environmental concern: Specification and test of the model. Environment and Behavior, 21, 57-81.
30.
Schahn, J. , & Holzer, E. (1990). Studies of environmental concem: The role of knowledge, gender and background variables. Environmentand Behavior, 22, 767-786.
31.
Stamm, K. , & Bowes, J. (1972). Environmental attitudes and reaction. Joumal of Environmental Education, 3, 56-60.
32.
Tognacci, L. N. , Weigel, R. H., Wilden, M. F., & Vernon, D.T.A. (1972). Environmental quality: How universal is public concern?Environment and Behavior, 4, 73-87.
33.
Van Liere, K. D. , & Dunlap, R. E. (1980). The social bases of environmental concem: A review of hypotheses, explanations, and empirical evidence. Public Opinion Quarterly, 44,181-197.
34.
Van Liere, K. D. , & Dunlap, R. E. (1981). Environmental concern: Does it make a difference how it's measured?Environment and Behavior, 13, 651-676.
35.
Vining, J. , & Ebreo, A. (1990). What makes a recycler? A comparison of recyclers and nonrecyclers. Environment and Behavior, 22, 55-73.
36.
Williams, S. M. , & McCrorie, R. (1989). The analysis of ecological attitudes in town and country. Joumal of Environmental Management, 31, 157-162.
