Environmental Attitudes and Environmental Behavior—Which Is the Horse and Which Is the Cart?

Abstract

Abstract:The present article challenges the prevailing perception in the field of environmental education that acquisition of environmental behavior is an ultimate goal of the educational process, in comparison to acquisition of environmental attitudes, which is perceived as a minor goal. The article presents a compilation of results obtained from two studies that shed new light on the relationship between influences on environmental attitudes and influences on environmental behavior. The results suggest that: (a) among adults, the strategies required for influencing attitudes are different from those required for influencing behaviors; (b) the mechanisms for achieving influence among children are different from those among adults; and (c) conventional educational approaches, such as behavior modification, can influence behavior more easily than they can influence attitudes. The results provide grounds for questioning the prevailing belief that individual acquisition of responsible environmental behavior can drive changes on the global political scale. We suggest increasing the focus of environmental education on construction of attitudes.

Perception of Space among Children Studying Their Local Grasslands: Examining Attitudes and Behavioural Intentions

“…The findings regarding the studied grassland site align well with previous findings by Eilam and Trop [40,41]. These studies compared the two constructs of attitude and behaviour between children and adults, in regard to concrete issues occurring at the present time.…”

“…LaPiere's findings were reiterated in further studies [29,38]. By the mid-20th century, researchers came to regard behaviour as an outcome of situational rather than dispositional influences [39][40][41][42].…”

Influence of Adult Literacy Education on the Environmental Behaviours of Women

“…This is substantiated by the work of Caldwell (2011) when he revealed that respondents in Ontario, Canada showed concern about the local environmental issues. Also Eilam and Trop (2010) also revealed that respondents possess positive attitude towards the environment but the strategies required for influencing attitude are different from those required for influencing attitudes are different from those required for influencing behaviours.…”

Local Knowledge of Pond Fish-Farming Ecosystem Services: Management Implications of Stakeholders’ Perceptions in Three Different Contexts (Brazil, France and Indonesia)

“…Regardless of the determinants of behavior, analyses of perception tend to show that the range of uses and values depends on the context [38,39] implying that knowledge, social recognition and even social demand with respect to ecosystem services vary according to both the type of actor and the area concerned [40]. In order to be adapted, policies must therefore be defined and implemented according not only to the degree of anthropization (as noted by Schneiders et al [26]) but also to the scales and contexts [6].…”