Most efforts to categorize pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) have focused on researchers’ – rather than laypeople’s – perceptions of PEBs. Drawing on the psychometric paradigm used to categorize environmental risks, we aimed to identify the PEB attributes salient to laypeople and, from that, determine the underlying dimensions of PEB. In Study 1, participants (n = 157) evaluated 30 PEBs through open-ended questions. The results revealed 21 attributes that laypeople commonly associate with PEBs. In Study 2, 250 MTurk participants rated 74 PEBs on the 21 attributes. An exploratory factor analysis revealed four factors underlying PEB: Factor 1 (Financial and Behavioral Cost), Factor 2 (External Pressures), Factor 3 (Environmental Impact and Savings) and Factor 4 (Health and Safety Impacts). PEBs were characterized along each dimension and along multiple dimensions using biplots. Additionally, the four factors strongly predicted behavior intention. The results have implications for interventions to increase PEBs in the general public.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unf.edu/oai:digitalcommons.unf.edu:etd-1676 |
| Date | 01 January 2016 |
| Creators | Gillis, Ashley Jade |
| Publisher | UNF Digital Commons |
| Source Sets | University of North Florida |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | UNF Theses and Dissertations |
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