Using Cognitive Dissonance to Theoretically Explain Water Conservation Intentions

Chaudhary, Anil Kumar; Lamm, Alexa J.; Warner, Laura A.

doi:10.5032/jae.2018.04194

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…In this regard, Kagawa states that "[t]here are multiple factors which influence the process of behavioral change and further investigation of dissonance between students' perception of sustainability and their individual actions needs to be explored" [106]. See, for example, research on the attitude-behavior gap [103,107,108] or cognitive dissonance [109,110]. Further implications for future research and an outlook will be given in the concluding section of this article.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and Validation of an Instrument for Measuring Student Sustainability Competencies

2019

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The importance of education, and ESD in particular, for achieving sustainable development is highlighted in the formulation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since the Brundtland Report (1987) and the Agenda 21 conference in Rio in 1992, many measures and programs have been launched. However, no widely accepted and validated assessment instruments are currently available to examine the output levels of ESD on the student side as a means to contribute to monitoring the effects of ESD initiatives. Furthermore, connections to the results of empirical educational research are often lacking. Indeed, operationalization is necessary in order to evaluate actions of fostering ESD. Taking concepts of empirical educational and other relevant research findings (for example, psychology for sustainability) into account, this study develops a reliable and valid approach to measuring sustainability competencies. In this paper, novel data of a first school assessment is presented. One thousand six hundred and twenty-two students (aged from 9 to 16) participated in the survey. The paper-pencil questionnaire covers general (socio-demographic) as well as cognitive, affective, behavioral, application- and curriculum-orientated aspects of sustainability competencies. The evidence for the validity and reliability of the instrument indicates that the presented assessment tool constitutes a suitable instrument by which to measure sustainability competencies in secondary schools. The gathered insights show a path towards the operationalization of sustainability competencies to clarify the needs and achievements of ESD implementation in schools.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and Validation of an Instrument for Measuring Student Sustainability Competencies

2019

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“…Previous research (Chaudhary et al, 2018;Larson et al, 2011) has found a significant negative relationship between conservative political orientation and private-sphere water conservation behaviors. The findings of this study are consistent with these previous studies and extend this relationship into public-sphere water conservation behaviors; however, the observed correlation was low (Davis, 1973) and political orientation did not enter into the regression equation.…”

Section: Conclusion Discussion and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Older adults, females, persons living in single-family residences, and those holding more liberal political orientations are more likely to engage in private-sphere water conservation behaviors (Arnocky & Stroink, 2011;Chaudhary et al, 2018;Clark & Finley, 2007;Larson et al, 2011). Individuals with higher levels of education (Larson & Larch, 2010) and those with college majors in natural resources (Arnocky & Stroink, 2011) are more likely to engage in broader proenvironmental public-sphere behaviors.…”

Section: Introduction and Problem Statementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting college students' future intentions to engage in public-sphere water conservation behaviors

et al. 2021

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The purpose of this study was to describe selected college students’ (N = 252) perceptions of and future intentions (FI) to engage in public-sphere water conservation behaviors, and to determine if FI could be predicted by a single or linear combination of student demographic characteristics and latent variables. A majority of respondents agreed a growing population will negatively affect water quantity (90.5%) and there is a need for water resource management (85.6%). A majority disagreed or strongly disagreed that they (53.4%), their family (57.1%), or their friends (67.5%) practiced water conservation, or that people in their hometowns were concerned about local water availability (78.1%). A majority agreed they would engage in four of five public-sphere water conservation behaviors in the future: support water conservation programs (86.4%), care more deeply about water conservation (81.2%), join a water conservation organization (79.2%), and vote for stricter water use laws (55.0%). Fewer than one-half agreed or strongly agreed they would donate money to support water conservation (45.8%). Responses to statements concerning water conservation were factor analyzed and two factors were extracted: lack of agency (LA) and subjective norms (SN). A linear combination of gender, LA, and SN explained 36.7% of the variance in FI.

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“…Communication research regularly accepts and uses non‐probability opt‐in sampling as a sampling method (Lamm and Lamm 2019). For example, Chaudhary et al (2018) used non‐probability opt‐in sampling to collect data on high‐level water users to understand their lack of interest in conserving water. However, one limitation of this study is that non‐probability opt‐in sampling may result in a biased sample because not all types of individuals have access to the internet and not all types of individuals will answer surveys (Lamm and Lamm 2019).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Engaging the Public in Water Policy: Do Political Affiliation and Ideology Matter?

Gibson¹,

Lamm²,

Woosnam³

et al. 2021

Contemporary Water Research

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Unsustainable human activities are rapidly depleting freshwater resources in many parts of the United States. Public policy surrounding water conservation is arguably one of the most essential strategies for targeting the preservation of water. Increased public engagement in environmental policy may bolster sustainable consumption of water resources if nuances in human behavior are targeted through communication messages. A quantitative research design using an online survey of the general United States public was used to explore if political affiliation and political ideology predicted how respondents prepared to vote on a policy that impacts water. The study revealed that respondents neither agreed nor disagreed on the level to which they would take specific actions to become prepared to vote on a policy that impacts water, indicating there is room for improvement. Results from a multiple linear regression revealed political affiliation and political ideology significantly predicted how respondents prepared to vote on a policy that impacts water; however, they accounted for a small amount of variance in the models. Future studies should identify additional predictors to determine how respondents prepare to vote on a policy that impacts water since political affiliation and political ideology were not a major influence on how respondents prepare to vote. Environmental communicators should focus their outreach efforts on increasing public preparedness to vote on polices that impact water.

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Using Cognitive Dissonance to Theoretically Explain Water Conservation Intentions

Cited by 10 publications

References 49 publications

Development and Validation of an Instrument for Measuring Student Sustainability Competencies

Development and Validation of an Instrument for Measuring Student Sustainability Competencies

Predicting college students' future intentions to engage in public-sphere water conservation behaviors

Engaging the Public in Water Policy: Do Political Affiliation and Ideology Matter?

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