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Abstract
Sustainable and pro-environmental actions at the individual level are influenced by a myriad of external and internal factors. The “value-action gap” describes the disconnect between one’s environmental values and attitudes, and their actual behaviors. While many acknowledge that climate change is a major threat in today’s world, a multitude of structural and psychological barriers exist which prevent individuals from engaging in eco-friendly practices. This study investigated environmental values and psychological barriers to pro environmental behavior among college students in a North American University. Data was collected through a survey that received 765 responses and used the New Ecological Paradigm - NEP and the Dragons of Inaction Psychological Barriers - DIPB measurement scales. Students widely expressed environmental values and concern about climate change. Agreement or strong agreement with statements reflecting the New Ecological Paradigm ranged from 67% to 92%. Respondents agreed that action should be taken to promote sustainability, but they might need help to translate beliefs into action. The most influential psychological barriers showed: resistance to transforming habits and lifestyles, need for more information on how to change, and a feeling of unfairness in face of industry-caused environmental degradation. Most students would be willing to engage in a sustainability campaign. Identifying what prevents students from changing their habits and behaviors will help guide institutional efforts to promote a culture of sustainability on our campus. By understanding how students view and practice sustainability on an individual level, measures can be implemented that effectively address and overcome psychological barriers to pro-environmental behaviors.
Highlights
To investigate values and attitudes regarding the environment and understand how this valueaction gap manifests itself among college students, the undergraduate research team in the Virginia Tech Honors Culture of Sustainability Lab undertook, under the coordination of a faculty advisor, a study investigating values and ideas about sustainability and psychological barriers to sustainable behavior among their university’s student population
Respondents displayed pro-environmental values and opinions: high agreement with statements reflecting the New Ecological Paradigm (M = 4.10), and low agreement with the Dominant Social Paradigm (M = 2.67). 92% of respondents agree/strongly agree that humans are seriously abusing the environment (M = 4.49), while 90% agree/strongly agree that humans are still subject to the laws of nature, despite special abilities (M = 4.32)
The domination of humans over nature is not a widely held belief among Virginia Tech students: 69% of respondents disagree or strongly disagree with the statement "Humans were meant to rule over the rest of nature” (M = 2.16)
Summary
Given the current condition of our climate and environment, it is important that people adopt pro-environmental mindsets and participate in behaviors that align with these mindsets. Identifying and understanding the psychological barriers that people struggle with is an important part of explaining and resolving the dissonance between sustainable values and sustainable action. To investigate values and attitudes regarding the environment and understand how this valueaction gap manifests itself among college students, the undergraduate research team in the Virginia Tech Honors Culture of Sustainability Lab undertook, under the coordination of a faculty advisor, a study investigating values and ideas about sustainability and psychological barriers to sustainable behavior among their university’s student population. Increased information on environmental values and attitudes and barriers to sustainable action among students is necessary to inform and contribute to goals 10 (integrate the Climate Action Commitment into the university’s educational mission) and 12 (diminish barriers to sustainable behaviors through institutional change, education and social marketing). The study was proposed, in partnership with the Virginia Tech Office of Sustainability and sponsored by a grant from the Office of Undergraduate Research
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