103
7.6 Measuring Environmental Attitudes
Although there is a large number of different EA measures, the one that is most used
is the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) Scale (Dunlap and Van Liere 1978;
Dunlap et al. 2000). It examines multiple expressions of concern, such as beliefs,
attitudes, intentions and behaviours and also examines concerns about various environmental topics, such as pollution and natural resources. The NEP Scale is used to
measure general beliefs about the relationship of human beings to the environment.
The universal nature of the beliefs measured by the NEP Scale may explain why it
has become the most widely used measure of EA since its publication in 1978
(Dunlap and Jones 2002, 2003; Stern et al. 1995).
The development of the NEP Scale was the authors’ recognition that it was possible to identify an emerging ecocentric system of beliefs (i.e. humans are seen as
being part of natural systems and constrained by that fact) that challenged the dominant anthropocentric system of beliefs current in Western societies (i.e. humans are
seen as being independent from, and superior to, other organisms in nature) (see
also Sect. 7.2 above). These two systems were, respectively, named the New
Environmental Paradigm (NEP) and the Dominant Social Paradigm (DSP). It is
worth noting that the NEP and DSP are theoretically related to Schwartz’s (1999)
harmony–mastery cultural value dimension. This issue leaves societies with two
solutions in order to regulate human activity: either to fit harmoniously into the
world and try to preserve it (harmony values or the NEP worldview) or to exploit
and change the world (mastery values or the DSP worldview). There are several different versions of the NEP Scale. The revised NEP Scale is currently the most used
scale for assessing EA and consists of 15 items.
Milfont and Duckitt (2010) developed the Environmental Attitudes Inventory
(EAI) in which the multidimensional and hierarchical nature of EA is considered.
The EAI has 12 specific scales that capture the main facets measured by previous
research. The 12 factors were established through confirmatory factor analyses, and
the EAI scales are shown to be unidimensional scales with high internal consistency, homogeneity and high test–retest reliability and also to be largely free from
social desirability.
Bogner prepared the two-factor Model of Environmental Values (2-MEV) using
the data of a survey conducted among German secondary school pupils (Bogner and
Wiseman 2006: 247). The model, developed in earlier papers, is based on two independent factors: utilisation (anthropocentric view) and preservation (biocentric
view). They argue that their scale may help to measure the outcomes of EE (Bogner
and Wiseman 2006: 253).
7 Attitudes and Environmental Citizenship
7.6 Measuring Environmental Attitudes
Although there is a large number of different EA measures, the one that is most used
is the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) Scale (Dunlap and Van Liere 1978;
Dunlap et al. 2000). It examines multiple expressions of concern, such as beliefs,
attitudes, intentions and behaviours and also examines concerns about various environmental topics, such as pollution and natural resources. The NEP Scale is used to
measure general beliefs about the relationship of human beings to the environment.
The universal nature of the beliefs measured by the NEP Scale may explain why it
has become the most widely used measure of EA since its publication in 1978
(Dunlap and Jones 2002, 2003; Stern et al. 1995).
The development of the NEP Scale was the authors’ recognition that it was possible to identify an emerging ecocentric system of beliefs (i.e. humans are seen as
being part of natural systems and constrained by that fact) that challenged the dominant anthropocentric system of beliefs current in Western societies (i.e. humans are
seen as being independent from, and superior to, other organisms in nature) (see
also Sect. 7.2 above). These two systems were, respectively, named the New
Environmental Paradigm (NEP) and the Dominant Social Paradigm (DSP). It is
worth noting that the NEP and DSP are theoretically related to Schwartz’s (1999)
harmony–mastery cultural value dimension. This issue leaves societies with two
solutions in order to regulate human activity: either to fit harmoniously into the
world and try to preserve it (harmony values or the NEP worldview) or to exploit
and change the world (mastery values or the DSP worldview). There are several different versions of the NEP Scale. The revised NEP Scale is currently the most used
scale for assessing EA and consists of 15 items.
Milfont and Duckitt (2010) developed the Environmental Attitudes Inventory
(EAI) in which the multidimensional and hierarchical nature of EA is considered.
The EAI has 12 specific scales that capture the main facets measured by previous
research. The 12 factors were established through confirmatory factor analyses, and
the EAI scales are shown to be unidimensional scales with high internal consistency, homogeneity and high test–retest reliability and also to be largely free from
social desirability.
Bogner prepared the two-factor Model of Environmental Values (2-MEV) using
the data of a survey conducted among German secondary school pupils (Bogner and
Wiseman 2006: 247). The model, developed in earlier papers, is based on two independent factors: utilisation (anthropocentric view) and preservation (biocentric
view). They argue that their scale may help to measure the outcomes of EE (Bogner
and Wiseman 2006: 253).
7 Attitudes and Environmental Citizenship