Abstract:The Ecocentric and Anthropocentric Attitudes toward the Sustainable Development (EAATSD) scale measures environmental concern in relation to sustainable development. This article will discuss how this scale was tested with three groups of Dutch higher education students. Findings demonstrate that anthropocentric and ecocentric values are independent of the students' chosen course of study, suggesting that students attracted by the 'sustainable development' course title do not necessarily associate 'sustainability' with ecocentric aims. This article discusses why ecocentric values are beneficial to the objective of a sustainable society and proposes ways forward in which these values can be enhanced in learners.

The Ecocentric and Anthropocentric Attitudes toward the Sustainable Development (EAATSD) scale is adapted from other scales measuring environmental concern with the aim of specifically targeting the subject of sustainable development. This scale was tested with three groups of students, those of International Business and Management Studies, and of Sustainable Business, both at The Hague University of Applied Science; and students of Environment and Development at Leiden University College. It was hypothesized that students who chose elective courses concerned with sustainability will be more ecocentric than those from a general business course. Analysis of the findings demonstrates however that while there are individual differences in attitudes between the students within the course, there are no significant differences between the students in different courses. This suggests that anthropocentric and ecocentric values are independent of the students' chosen course, and that students that follow sustainability course are not more ecocentric.

The Ecocentric and Anthropocentric Attitudes toward the Sustainable Development (EAATSD) scale is adapted from other scales measuring environmental concern with the aim of specifically targeting the subject of sustainable development. This scale was tested with three groups of students, those of International Business and Management Studies, and of Sustainable Business, both at The Hague University of Applied Science; and students of Environment and Development at Leiden University College. It was hypothesized that students who chose elective courses concerned with sustainability will be more ecocentric than those from a general business course. Analysis of the findings demonstrates however that while there are individual differences in attitudes between the students within the course, there are no significant differences between the students in different courses. This suggests that anthropocentric and ecocentric values are independent of the students' chosen course, and that students that follow sustainability course are not more ecocentric.