Values, Beliefs and Norms that Foster Chilean and German Pupils' Commitment to Protect Biodiversity.
Year: 2010
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Fostering young people‟s commitment to protect biodiversity is an important goal of Edu-cation for Sustainable Development (ESD) in both, industrial countries and designated bio-diversity hotspots. However, little empirical evidence exists to describe factors that influ-ence such commitments. Based on the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory, 15 to 19-year-old Chilean (n= 216) and German (n= 217) pupils‟ commitment to protect biodiversity was in-vestigated. Comparisons revealed that Chilean adolescents showed higher personal norms and commitments to protect biodiversity. Regression analysis showed that within the Ger-man sample, the „Schwartz‟-value universalism was an important predictor for three differ-ent kinds of behavioural commitment. In both samples, „ascription of responsibility‟, „per-ceived ability to reduce threat‟ and, above all, „personal norms‟ were positive predictors. The paper concludes with a discussion of the results in the light of existing evidence and suggests implications for biodiversity education.
Authors: Susanne Menzel, Susanne Bögeholz
Language: English
Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2168099273