Environmental Behavior: A Comparative Study Between Brazilian and Portuguese Students

Abstract

Although undergraduate students have great access to environmental information, it does not mean that an environmental behavior is being developed. With the use of a scale applied to 1035 university students from Brazil and Portugal, it was examined how the environmental behavior of these students is structured. Using multivariate statistical techniques, it was verified that there is a similarity in the environmental behavior of both groups, with environmental beliefs being manifested by an opposition to the anthropocentric view. The environmental attitudes have the concerns related to the environment as their predecessor. These concerns influence the option to control economic growth, which is reinforced by the ecocentric point of view of the respondents and is manifested by the perspective of a decrease in production and in consumption as well as the promotion of welfare. Although there is a tendency, the option for green consumption is not fully accomplished.

Analysis of Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors: An Exploratory Study With a Sample of Brazilian University Students

“…On the one hand, the economic situation and a natural environment that has suffered less degradation than in Europe, allow for a more holistic outlook on human-nature relationships and nature being considered as a resource that favors the country's development. This perspective is in agreement with the studies of Côrtes & Moretti (2013) and Côrtes, et al (2016).On the other hand, the opposition detected between anthropocentric and ecocentric paradigms in economically developed areas like the USA and Europe (BECHTEL ET CORRAL--VERDUGO & ARMENDARIZ, 2000;HERNÁNDEZ, ET AL., 2001) seems to suggest the impossibility of reconciling development and human well-being with the environmental preservation. It may be possible that the revolution promoted by ecological movements (CASTELLS, 1997), which have taken deeper root in Western culture, is responsible for this radical opposing stances between human development and the conservation of nature, which are not seen in other contexts.…”

Attitudes Towards Environmental and Agronomic Benefits of Pulses Among Canadian University Students

“…University students were the target population in the study because concern over environmental issues has been increasing, and research supports the assumption that there is an increasing concern about the environment amongst university students (Cortes et al 2016). It is possible that increased knowledge of the environmental significance of pulse crops could motivate students to adopt dietary changes, which could ultimately assist in mitigating the current food system's environmental impact.…”

Analysing the Environmental Values and Attitudes of Rural Nepalese Children by Validating the 2-MEV Model

“…Interestingly, Heinen [54] found literacy associated with attitude near the Koshi Wildlife Reserve. While, Meinhold and Malkus [23], and Johnson anď Cinčera [25] report high Preservation value in girls compared to boys, while Bogner and Wilhelm [55] found children in Grades 5 and 6 were more sensitive toward the environment compared to those in Grade 9. Although there is a large difference between Grades 5 or 6 and Grade 9, this study reports the increasing tendency of positive environmental values and attitudes with an increase of Grade from 8 to 9, and 9 to 10.…”