The different values of nature: a comparison between university students’ perceptions of nature’s instrumental, intrinsic and relational values

Abstract

Human–nature relationships are in a critical state, characterized by increasing environmental problems caused by humans. Thus, it is essential to know how to motivate people for environmental protection. Motivation can arise from intrinsic, instrumental or relational perceptions of why nature is valuable. The present study investigates empirically how university students differ in their view of nature’s value. For this purpose, students from 13 different majors across Germany as well as students engaged in the environmental protection organization Health-for-Future (HfF) were surveyed via an online survey (N = 1885). The majors were divided into four thematic groups (environmental, people-aligned, structures-exploring as well as economics and political science). While all groups showed high levels of agreement with intrinsic and instrumental values, the groups differed strongly in their relational perception of nature. Environmental disciplines were characterized by a stronger relational view, followed by people-aligned disciplines, while disciplines not directly associated with either people or nature agreed less with relational and also intrinsic values. HfF as a conservation organization showed the highest level of agreement in all three value components. Further we found that gender plays a role in value perception, with women holding stronger intrinsic and relational values than men. The study concludes that among students in Germany, regardless of major, there is a pluralistic understanding of values: ecosystem services (instrumental values) and the intrinsic value of nature are both appreciated, whereas relational values appear to be more group specific. Since students will be future decision-makers of society, relational values have special significance for the understanding of conservation.