Cognitive and behavioural environmental concern among university students in a Canadian city: Implications for institutional interventions

Abstract

Informed by Stern and colleagues’ value-belief-norm theory and their earlier empirical work, we examined levels and predictors of cognitive and behavioural environmental concern (EC) of university students in a Canadian postsecondary context. Data for this study were obtained through completion of self-administered questionnaires from a sample of 421 undergraduate students attending a public university in Saskatchewan, a province heavily focused on expanding resource extraction. The study used a descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional methodology. Statistical analysis was performed in three parts: (a) univariate description of students’ cognitive and behavioural EC indicators; (b) bivariate associations to assess the nature and direction of the relationships between EC measures; and (c) multivariate analyses to test the causal structure of the theoretical model. Results showed no widespread acceptance of the ‘New Ecological Paradigm’. Students were slightly more prone to place responsibility for environmental protection at the door of government and industry than themselves. Respondents practised a range of environmentally supportive behaviours (ESB) with varying intensities. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses provided support for several of the theory’s propositions in predicting generalised and specific environmental beliefs and ESB. Findings highlighted the complex relationships between personal background, academic and cognitive variables and ESB. That formal instruction on the environment influenced cognitive and behavioural EC, both directly and indirectly, suggests it is essential universities have formal curricula that expose students to the types of environmental knowledge, awareness, and critical thinking skills to promote environmental literacy and address unsustainable lifestyles and attitudes. Institutional interventions, including universities’ role as ‘effective change agents’, are discussed.

Roles of Environmental System Knowledge in Promoting University Students’ Environmental Attitudes and Pro-Environmental Behaviors

“…Similarly, the study of Borchers et al [5] found that environmental education could enhance people's environmental knowledge and attitudes towards nature. Jurdi-Hage et al [6] suggested that to promote environmental literacy and students' sustainable life styles, students should learn about environmental knowledge, awareness, and critical thinking skills. Educating students with environmental knowledge that could promote positive ecological attitudes and students' engagement in PEBs is an important goal of environmental education [7][8][9], but it remains challenging.…”

Determinants of Pro-Environmental Behaviour Among Students

“…One of the most significant subjects of ecological studies is to describe the behaviour of individuals towards climate change, which in addition to theoretical importance, is also of practical value (Jurdi-Hage et al, 2019). To attract students as an educated class in society to practice PEB, we need to create an appropriate mechanism for the development of such actions.…”

Are the sustainability-oriented skills and competencies of business graduates meeting or missing employers’ needs? Perspectives of regional employers

“…Given that sustainability literacy has a direct effect on graduate employment prospects (Winfield & Ndlovu, 2019), it is essential that universities have formal curricula that expose students to different types of sustainability-related knowledge, develop awareness and critical thinking skills, promote environmental literacy and address unsustainable lifestyles (Jurdi-Hage, Hage, & Chow, 2019). A meaningful strategy is to focus on competencies acquired by learner, defined as "the ability to successfully meet complex demands in a particular context through the mobilisation of psychosocial prerequisites (including cognitive and non-cognitive aspects)" (Giangradne et al, 2019, p.3).…”

“…Environmental education is evolving with a new philosophy, which embodies a commitment to activism and the enactment of social change (Cole & Malone 2019). Studies tend to focus on teachers and learners (Stevenson, 2007), such as students' environmental worldviews (Jurdi-Hage et al, 2019), the response of undergraduates to the framing of sustainability in traditional degrees (Sandri, 2020), as well as on MBA students, their personal values, attitudes and subjective norms (Bhattacharyya & Biswas, 2020). This study offers a novel contribution to the research on environmental and sustainability education by examining whether regional employers value a focus on sustainability in the business curriculum and are satisfied with graduates' skills and competencies.…”

“…Due to the global nature of climate change, a unified approach to combating climate change must include all levels of education and actors (Muroi & Bertone, 2019), including regional employers and regional universities. Furthermore, our study focuses on the outcomes of environmental and sustainability education, on acquired skills and competencies, recognising that education must go beyond the goal of simply imparting knowledge (Jurdi-Hage et al, 2019).…”