Symbolic Beliefs as Barriers to Responsible Environmental Behavior

Abstract

This was an exploratory study that investigated how environmental beliefs relate to self-reported environmental behaviors. A convenient student sample ( N = 110) was administered a 208-item instrument (Environmental Categorization Instrument - based on the Roper survey The Environment: Public Attitudes and Individual Behavior (Roper, 1990)). The sample was segmented into three groups by cluster analysis using self-reported environmental behavior. The groups were characterized with descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis. From the cluster groups, a smaller sample ( n = 10) was chosen to be interviewed. The survey results showed that most of the sample perceived themselves as environmental, and differed only in strength of attitudes. The interviews showed a marked disparity from the survey results. This was attributed to the individuals' environmental belief and value structures that were symbolic in nature and did not lead to more than token behavior.