Assessing Environmental Attitudes and Cognitive Achievement within 9 Years of Informal Earth Education

Tessa-Marie Baierl,Bruce Johnson,Franz X Bogner

doi:10.3390/su13073622

Abstract

Given the multitude of attitude scales, we examined the relationship between the 2-Major Environmental Values model (2-MEV) and the New Environmental Paradigm scale (NEP) based on a 6585 child sample over a 9-year period. The students participated in a three-day outdoor earth education program at field centers in three different US states (Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana). We further investigated the scales’ sensitivity to program effects, relating cognitive achievement and attitude with respect to a pro-environmental indicator of behavior (Y key). The NEP and Preservation correlated highly, while the subscales Utilization and Preservation showed a strong inverse relationship. Based on further reliability and validity scores, and in line with the literature, this pointed to a unidimensional Preservation of Nature scale as a concise attitude measurement. In structural equation modelling, Preservation related to knowledge gains and the Y key, and effects from Preservation on knowledge held true for all three states. This suggests Preservation as one factor influencing cognitive achievement and environmentally conscious performance. Regarding program effects, the Earthkeepers program seemed to induce pro-environmental shifts based on knowledge gains and attitude changes (Preservation increasing and Utilization decreasing). Pro-environmental shifts were most prominent for those who received the Y key.

Highlights

Published: 24 March 2021Environmental attitude is among the key concepts of environmental psychology, often referring to environmental concern
We examined the relationship between the two attitude measurements (2-Major Environmental Values model [2-MEV], New Environmental Paradigm scale [NEP]) based on the earth education program Earthkeepers
We investigated program effects on attitude and knowledge to elaborate on the attitude scales when applied to an environmental education program which demonstrated success, to position them in the attitude-knowledge-behavior relationship

Summary

Introduction

Environmental attitude is among the key concepts of environmental psychology, often referring to environmental concern. It forms a set of beliefs, affects, and behavior intentions towards the environment [1]. And Chaiken [2] refer to attitude as a person’s evaluation of or affection towards an object or topic, which is associated with cognitive, psychosocial, and demographic variables [3]. There is consensus about the multidimensionality of environmental attitudes on the primary level, while the second order structure is less evident [4,5]. Some argue for one higher order factor [6,7]. Xiao and Dunlap [8], for instance, proposed eight primary level factors pointing toward one higher order factor, which is environmental concern.

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