Environmental Identity and Social Networks as Predictors ofEnvironmentally-Friendly Behaviors Public

Watson, Lesley (2009)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/zc77sq185?locale=fr
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Abstract

Environmental Identity and Social Networks as Predictors of Environmentally-Friendly Behaviors By Lesley Watson

In an effort to understand why some university students engage in environmentally-friendly behaviors while others do not, I examine the independent and combined effects of environmental identity and behavior modeling by family and friends on the frequency of reported environmentally-friendly behaviors among entering freshmen. To do this, I use regression analysis on survey data collected from 133 undergraduate students at a private, Southeastern university. Three separate facets of environmentally-friendly behavior emerge: activism, conservation, and recycling. The findings reveal that environmental identity has consistent, positive effects on all types of behaviors. The effects of behavior modeling by friends and family, however, vary across the three different types of environmentally-friendly behaviors. These findings are useful in providing policy suggestions for universities seeking to encourage their student bodies to engage in environmentally-friendly and sustainable behaviors.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents Introduction...1 Background Literature and Hypotheses...3 Methods...12 Results...20 Discussion...25 References...39 Appendix A - Measures...43 Appendix B - Factor Analysis...46

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