The Study of Environmental Beliefs by Facet Analysis

Abstract

The relation between different levels of public concern about the environment and sociodemographic and behavioral variables are main issues in several recent investigations. Many of these are based on the idea that environmental interest is shaped by personal beliefs. However, the internal structure of those beliefs is not well understood. In this investigation, 3 studies ( N = 96; N = 397; N = 400) explored what different types of beliefs concerning people/environment relationships exist and how they are internally organized. Multidimensional techniques such as INDSCAL and facet theory were used to analyze the similarity structure of items asking for beliefs toward the environment. Three viewpoints were identified: ecocentric, anthropocentric, and beliefs based on an interest in material progress. Most participants reported an ecocentric belief. Results concerning the structural analyses are compatible with a strong relation between the anthropocentric and material progress approaches and with the assumption of independence of all 3 beliefs.