Measurement of proecological attitudes within new ecological paradigm in Polish current settings

Abstract

The NEP (New Ecological Paradigm) scale is an internationally used measure of environmental attitudes and a predictor of pro-ecological behaviours (Dunlap, Van Liere, Merting, & Jones, 2000). In the current study we investigate the factor structure of the scale in order to state if it fits the theoretical model concerning the Polish population. We use the GEB (General Ecological Behaviour) scale as a test of the convergent validity of NEP scale results. The online study made use of a convenience sample of people aged 17–68 years, N = 305. Our study revealed that the theoretical concept of the NEP scale, including its five-factorial solution proposed by the authors of the scale, does not fit our results. After having conducted the exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) we found a two-factorial structure to be more appropriate, but the newly revealed solution was still not completely satisfactory according to the obtained psychometric parameters. Convergent validity of NEP was confirmed. However, socio-demographic characteristics of participants in the study were not related to the frequency of pro-ecological behaviours in general.

Citizens’ Behavior as a Driver of Energy Transition and Greening of the Economy in the Russian Arctic: Findings of a Sociological Survey in the Murmansk Region and Karelia

“…The positive dependence of pro-environmental behavior on age corroborates [46] and disproves [47]; the existence of statistically non-significant differences in age effect was demonstrated in [48]; and the lack of correlation was declared in [49]. The controversial conclusions regarding the effect of age and no individual's tendency to implement green practices may indicate that the direction of age effects vary among the practices.…”

Values and materialism as predictors of pro-environmental attitudes

“…2. The New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale developed by Dunlap et al, (Dunlap, Van Liere, Mertig et al 2000), and adapted into Polish by Dyr and Prusik (2020), was used to assess pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. The NEP contains 15 statements respondents assess using a fivepoint Likert scale, where 5 represents "I definitely agree" and 1 represents "I definitely do not agree."…”

The Herzen University Studies: Psychology in Education

“…2. The New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale developed by Dunlap et al, (Dunlap, Van Liere, Mertig et al 2000), and adapted into Polish by Dyr and Prusik (2020), was used to assess pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. The NEP contains 15 statements respondents assess using a fivepoint Likert scale, where 5 represents "I definitely agree" and 1 represents "I definitely do not agree."…”

“…Together with the conceptualisation, a NEP scale has been developed to measure attitudes towards the environment (Lundmark 2007). We can, therefore, study how people perceive the environment and what they think and feel about it, as NEP is a measure of cognitive aspects of pro-environmental attitudes (Dyr, Prusik 2020). In the face of progressing degradation of the environment, it seems crucial to determine the predictors of the pro-environmental orientation.…”

“…Although the interest of scholars in psychological aspects of ecological issues is growing, in Poland, studies on pro-environmental attitudes have been few (e. g., Byrka 2015;Dyr, Prusik 2020). Thus, we decided to conduct research on a Polish sample of young people to examine possible predictors of their attitudes toward environment.…”