An Analysis of the Predictive Validity of the New Ecological Paradigm Scale

Abstract

The widely used New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale was recently revised to address concerns about its dimensionality and validity. As an ever larger number of researchers from an increasing variety of disciplines incorporate environmental issues into their research, the need for environmental concern measures such as the NEP will broaden. The authors evaluated the predictive validity of the original and revised versions of the NEP scale, some abbreviated NEP-derived scales, and a non-NEP environmental attitudes scale. All of these scales explained a significant amount of the variance in a measure of intention to engage in proenvi-ronmental behavior. Based on the results, the authors suggest how researchers should use these scales in their research.     

The Development of an Environmental Science Degree Program in the United Kingdom

Abstract

The authors report a study that is based on the premise that, although it continues to be desirable to chart public attitudes toward the natural environment, the widely used 12-item New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale, published by R. E. Dunlap and K. D. van Liere in 1978, is in need of revision if it is to measure the public's more recent and sophisticated understanding of complex environmental issues. A quantitative and qualitative 2-stage international survey was conducted via the Internet in which respondents not only completed the NEP scale but also commented critically and in depth on the scale items. The authors determined that the NEP scale is limited with respect both to the anachronistic wording of items and its inability to capture people's increasingly thorough understanding of the nature, severity, and scope of environmental problems over the last 2 to 3 decades. Several suggestions are offered for updating the NEP scale if it is to continue to be a useful research tool.     

The “New Environmental Paradigm” in a Mexican Community

Abstract

A sample of 422 Mexicans from a medium-sized city responded to the New Environmental Paradigm-Human Exception Paradigm (NEP-HEP) scale, which assesses peoples' beliefs about human-environment relations. The NEP scale contains questions referring to the need for a “natural balance” and “limits to human impact on nature.” In contrast, implicit in the HEP scale is a view of humankind as different from and with control over nature. The responses of the interviewees revealed higher levels of adherence to the NEP than to the HEP. However, confirmatory factor analysis showed the covariances between pro-NEP and pro-HEP factors to be high and significant, indicating that the participants did not see the two paradigms as mutually exclusive, as do members of some industrialized societies. The results point to a more holistic view of human relations with the environment, in contrast to the dualistic vision of some western countries.     

An empirical test of anchoring the NEP scale in environmental ethics

Some argue that the new ecological paradigm (NEP) scale is incomplete and does not adequately reflect contemporary debates in environmental ethics. We focus on one specific shortcoming of the NEP, its lack of an item to reflect an ecocentric viewpoint. To test this concern, we administered the NEP to three different audiences and included one additional item to capture an ecocentric perspective. The empirical tests were designed to determine whether the addition of such an item changed results in a meaningful way. We find evidence that NEP may already capture ecocentric viewpoints, but our investigation leads us to question the validity and reliability of the NEP in capturing ecological worldview.     

Population Education in the United States

Abstract

With the increased societal awareness of environmental issues, social scientists have expanded their examination of environmentally related topics. One component of this expansion has been the generation and growth of social theory which has the human-environment relationship at its core. This study is a further test of one of these theories, the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP). Using survey data, the relationship of the NEP to knowledge of environmentally relevant issues is examined. The results show ecological worldview as measured by the NEP scale has an independent influence on net environmental knowledge of other sociodemographic characteristics.     

Influence of an Environmental Studies Course on Attitudes of Undergraduates at an Engineering University

Studies suggest that at engineering universities, where the percentage of males and engineering majors is high, pro-environmental attitudes are likely to be weak and may not change. The 15-item New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale was used to measure differences in student attitudes before and after an environmental studies course. Results revealed students held more pro-environmental attitudes about the validity of the ecological crisis, the existence of resource constraints, and the delicacy of nature's balance after the course. Students did not shift their views regarding the domination of humans over the environment or their belief in human ingenuity to overcome resource limits. Engineering majors showed weaker endorsement of the NEP compared to non-engineering majors, but the increase in their endorsement after the course was statistically significant.     

A Day with Freeman Tilden

Abstract

The authors examined environmental concern and involvement of individuals in two voluntary associations, the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) and National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, Inc. (NOHVCC). Environmental concerns were assessed using the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP). When compared, results from 10 of 12 NEP items were found to be significantly different. The IMBA group scored higher on the NEP, showing a greater level of agreement on environmental concern. IMBA respondents were also more involved with environmental organizations than the NOHVCC sample. The study results suggest that the level of environmental concern and involvement differs for those who are in specific voluntary associations and who choose specific outdoor activities. Implications are discussed for educators and resource managers.     

The 2-MEV Scale in the United States: A Measure of Children's Environmental Attitudes Based on the Theory of Ecological Attitude

The Environmental (2-MEV) Scale questionnaire was developed in Europe to measure adolescents’ attitudes and gauge the effectiveness of educational programs. It also formed the basis for the Theory of Ecological Attitudes. In the present four-year study, the 2-MEV Scale was modified for use with 9–12-year-old children in the United States. Initial results led to wording revisions and elimination of some items. Confirmatory Factor Analyses indicated that the remaining items fit the Theory of Ecological Attitude well. The Revised 2-MEV Scale was able to measure statistically significant changes in the environmental attitudes of participants in earth education programs but not in a control group. The Revised ENV Scale can be used to evaluate programs and to investigate the relationship between environmental attitudes and other variables.     

The relationship between the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III scales and subtests with gifted children

Each year thousands of children are evaluated or reevaluated utilizing the current edition of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale to determine their eligibility for gifted programs. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (1991) is new enough that only limited research is available on how it compares to the previously used Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (1974). The purpose of this study was to determine the comparability between the previously dominant intelligence scale, the WISC-R, and the revised WISC-III with gifted children. The results of this study indicate that the latest revision (WISC-III) and the earlier version (WISC-R) produce remarkably similar scale and subtest scores when administered under clinical conditions to gifted children. All 51 children determined eligible through the administration of one of these two Wechsler tests would have been eligible for services had the other test been administered. The Verbal and Performance scale IQ scores were within two points of each other across the two test administrations, while only a one-point difference existed between the Full Scale IQ scores. The Arithmetic, Comprehension, and Object Assembly subtest scores were in high agreement across the two administrations (p<.01). The level of agreement between some subtests across the two administrations suggests that clinical judgment is just as important as scores in considering who is eligible for gifted programs.     

Acculturation and Ecological Worldview Among Latino Americans

Abstract

The authors examined environmental attitudes among foreign-born Latino Americans and differences in these attitudes associated with acculturation. Data were collected from Spanish-speaking students (N = 153) enrolled in 3 levels of English as a second language (ESL) courses and from English-speaking students (N = 39) enrolled in a Spanish as a second language course. Measures included the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale, a 4-item acculturation scale, ESL course level, and demographics. Acculturation was negatively related to scores on the NEP scale, and Spanish-speaking students in lower level ESL courses scored higher on the NEP than students in higher level courses. These effects remained significant even when income and education were used as covariates. These findings suggest that culture is an important determinant of environmental attitudes.     

Validity Evidence against the Children’s New Ecological Paradigm Scale

Abstract

The Children’s New Ecological Paradigms scale was originally developed for children ages 10–12 and was presented as valuable for comparing that age group with older participants. This study uses cognitive interviews and measurement invariance testing to investigate how well the scores maintain the same meaning between these two age groups. The qualitative and quantitative results were consistent in revealing that at least 20% of the items function differently than expected when we use it for this purpose. The findings revealed similarities with critiques of the adult NEP and questioned the validity of the use of this instrument in its present form.     

心理健康测评工具使用频度分析与思考

通过对1979-2006年共28年期间的136种心理健康测评工具的中文全称使用频度进行检索，结果大于100篇次的常用量表共有37个。研究揭示量表的使用迅速增加，但美国和中国常用量表不同，多数量表存在使用名称不规范、名称不统一、不同量表名称相同等问题。     

《学习障碍评价量表》修订报告

对Stephen B．McCamey1996年修订完成的《学习障碍评价量表》(学校版)进行了修订。中文版量表共85个项目,包括7个分量表:听、思考、说、阅读、书写／写作、拼写和数学运算。对416名小学二至五年级学生的测量表明:(1)项目的回答模式合理; (2)该量表具有较高的内部一致性系数和重测信度系数;(3)该量表具有较好的结构效度、效标关联效度和内容效度。     

Exploring the Use of the Revised New Ecological Paradigm Scale (NEP) to Monitor the Development of Students’ Ecological Worldviews

Higher education institutions are interested in the impact that they and concurrent life experiences may have on students’ sustainability attitudes, but they lack formal processes to monitor changes. We used the NEP to monitor changes in students’ ecological worldviews. We were interested in what variation there would be in a multidisciplinary group, if the NEP could detect changes in students’ ecological worldviews over a limited time period, and to learn more about the NEP and its use. We conclude that the NEP is a valuable research instrument for this study and that monitoring students’ attitudes is a worthwhile precursor to debating the issues institutionally.     

Undergraduate students’ motivation and engagement in China: an exploratory study

Viewing student engagement as a multidimensional construct, this study explored the motivation and engagement of undergraduate students in China. A sample of 1131 students from 10 full-time universities in Beijing participated in a survey. The results showed that the Motivation and Engagement Scale for university/college students is a promising and valid instrument for assessing student engagement in Chinese universities. Chinese undergraduates simultaneously performed well in both adaptive and maladaptive motivation and engagement, indicating some influence from the cultural context of China. Four categories of learners were generated according to their motivation and engagement characteristics. Some consistent patterns of individual differences related to gender, grade level, discipline and institution type were revealed. The results have implications for enhancing student engagement.     

职业自我效能的测量及其量表修订

该研究根据职业自我效能理论对职业自我效能测量的规定,以Betz和Hackett1981年编制的《职业自我效能量表》为原始量表,采取自编问卷的方法筛选项目,以南京师范大学4个专业80名大四学生为被试进行试测,检验了修订后量表的信度和效度。修订后的量表的信度指标基本上在0.90以上,内容效度良好,建构效度效标达到显著性水平。     

Are Environmental Professors Unbalanced? Evidence From the Field

Most outcomes assessment in higher education has focused on content knowledge or skills development; however, attitudinal change is also a legitimate focus of assessment. We use the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) to test whether courses designed to meet the same university environmental literacy requirement changed student environmental attitudes, and whether these changes resulted from instructor and/or course-content effects. We found student environmental attitudes did change significantly but in different directions depending upon who taught the course. The ability to measure such changes adds to the discussion in the environmental education community on the desired nature of attitudinal change and of the responsibilities of higher education instructors.     

大学生情景宽恕量表的修订及信效度检验

以中国大学生为被试,采用实证研究方式,对Rye等人开发的情景宽恕量表(FS)进行修订。通过对1007名被试的数据进行探索性因素分析、验证性因素分析以及相关分析后发现,情景宽恕量表有三个维度:消极反应的消除、怀有积极反应和自我关注的消除。修订后的量表具有较好的内部一致性信度,同时也显示了较好的结构效度和实证效度。     

Hewitt多维完美主义量表在523名大学生中的试用与修订

目的：测试Hewitt多维完美主义量表在中国大学生中的信度、效度,对其进行本土化修订。方法：对523名大学生进行测试,运用探索性和验证性因素分析对量表进行检验,计算量表的内部一致性信度、重测信度等。结果：量表最后保留16个项目,可解释总方差的52．32％,各维度的项目载荷在0．43-0．76之间。验证性因素分析指标RMSEA、NFI、CFI、GFI分别为0．062、0．786、0．891、0．852。总量表与分量表的α系数和重测信度都在0．69以上。结论：修订后的HMPS具有较理想的信效度,较适合中国大学生使用.     

‘Human nature’: Chemical engineering students’ ideas about human relationships with the natural world

While importance of environmental ethics, as a component of sustainable development, in preparing engineers is widely acknowledged, little research has addressed chemical engineers’ environmental concerns. This study aimed to address this void by exploring chemical engineering students’ values regarding human–nature relationships. The study was conducted with 247 3rd–4th year chemical engineering students in Israeli Universities. It employed the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP)-questionnaire to which students added written explanations. Quantitative analysis of NEP-scale results shows that the students demonstrated moderately ecocentric orientation. Explanations to the NEP-items reveal diverse, ambivalent ideas regarding the notions embodied in the NEP, strong scientific orientation and reliance on technology for addressing environmental challenges. Endorsing sustainability implies that today's engineers be equipped with an ecological perspective. The capacity of Higher Education to enable engineers to develop dispositions about human–nature interrelationships requires adaptation of curricula towards multidisciplinary, integrative learning addressing social–political–economic–ethical perspectives, and implementing critical-thinking within the socio-scientific issues pedagogical approach.