Is Environmental Awareness a Good Predictor of an Individual’s Altruism Level?

Kentaka Aruga

doi:10.3390/su12197929

Abstract

This study investigated the validity of using a Likert-type environmental awareness index to predict an individual’s altruism level by comparing models identifying how respondents’ demographical characteristics (age, income, education, gender, etc.), degree of political and social awareness, and attitudes toward donation influence the environmental awareness index and the self-report altruism scale (SRAS). Using survey data from a sample of Japanese respondents, the study revealed a bidirectional relationship between environmental awareness and SRAS indices. Furthermore, through examining the effects of respondents’ demographical characteristics and other characteristics on the environmental awareness and SRAS indices, the study identifies that the directions of the influences of these covariates on the indices were all similar when their estimated coefficients were statistically significant. Hence, the study reveals that the environmental awareness index does capture the characteristics of the SRAS index.

Highlights

Global environmental issues, especially climate change and rainforest destruction, are wreaking havoc on the natural environment
We identify if the environmental awareness and self-report altruism scale (SRAS) indices have a bidirectional relationship and test if variables such as demographical characteristics, degree of political and social awareness, and attitudes toward donation that are likely to have impacts on the SRAS have the same effects on the environmental awareness indices
Regarding the bidirectional relationships among SRAS, global environmental awareness, and local environmental awareness, the results reveal that all the variables have a positive effect on each other

Summary

Introduction

Especially climate change and rainforest destruction, are wreaking havoc on the natural environment. It is suggested that such environmental degradation and ecological collapse are caused by increased economic activities [1]. To reduce anthropogenic pressure on the environment, every individual must recognize how their economic activities impact the environment and to consider living in an environmentally friendly way. Studies suggest that people who are more concerned or aware of environmental issues are more likely to reduce their effects on the environment [2,3,4]. An individual’s environmental awareness is an important factor in shifting people toward less environmentally damaging economic activities. Enhancing levels of environmental awareness will contribute to mitigating the effects of human activities on the environment. It is becoming increasingly crucial to identify the factors that increase environmental awareness

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Conclusion