Attitudes Toward the Natural Environment and Habitual Recycling Behavior

Date of Award

2010

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Callahan, Charlene

Keywords

IAT: BIAT, Attitudes, Environment, Recycling, Implicit Attitudes, Habit, Social Cognition

Area of Concentration

Psychology

Abstract

Although behavior can be consciously controlled, most of the activities in which people engage on a daily basis are executed outside of conscious awareness and become habitual as the behaviors are repeated. However, the attitudes individuals associate with these activities can be (1) formed though various sources (e.g., past behaviors, affective information), (2) can exist with contradictory attitudes formed using different sources, (3) may be (but are not necessarily) accessed each time the behaviors are performed, and (4) are changed only when the need for change exists. Additionally, self-reported attitudes, which require deliberate evaluation, have been found to differ from implicit attitudes, which measures implicit associations with a stimulus, and may also exist with contradictory attitudes derived from the other source. The present study sought to determine whether individuals� attitudes toward the natural environment are related to the degree to which they habitually recycle. It was hypothesized that there would be a positive relationship between attitudes toward the natural environment and habitual recycling behaviors. Participants completed a 28-item questionnaire that assessed self-reported attitudes toward the natural environment and habitual recycling behaviors. In addition, participants completed a response latency task designed to infer implicit preferences for natural or built environments. Implicit attitudes were not significantly related to self-reported attitudes or habitual recycling behaviors. There was a positive relationship between self-reported attitudes toward the natural environment and habitual recycling behaviors. These results suggest that a relationship may exist between one�s connection with nature and his or her unconscious, environmentally friendly behaviors.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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