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Rural and urban adolescents environmental attitudes

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Resumo:The worldwide intensification of environmental problems has increased political debates and educational concerns about behaviors and citizens’ responsibilities. Studying the factors and dynamics of environmental attitudes is critical for environmental behaviors. However, studies regarding environmental attitudes throughout adolescence and considering rural and urban regions are lacking. This study investigated the environmental attitudes of early and middle adolescents, comparing rural and urban regions. The sample consisted of 1,262 students (53.6% women) who completed two environmental attitude inventories: one measuring ecocentrism (sustaining environmental preservation) and another measuring anthropocentrism (sustaining environmental utilization). Urban students presented higher anthropocentric attitudes than rural students. Early adolescents scored higher on ecocentric attitudes, whereas middle adolescents scored higher on anthropocentric attitudes. Urban students increased anthropocentric attitudes from early to middle adolescence, while rural students decreased ecocentric attitudes. The findings highlight developmental and contextual differences in environmental attitudes, which have implications for education and policy. We discuss recommendations for future research.
Autores principais:Martins, Maria da Conceição
Outros Autores:Veiga, Feliciano H.; Oliveira, Íris M.; Veiga, Carlota M.; Carvalho, Nuno A.; Martínez, Isabel; Festas, Isabel
Assunto:Adolescence Environmental attitudes Environmental education Rural and urban regions
Ano:2025
País:Portugal
Tipo de documento:artigo
Tipo de acesso:acesso aberto
Instituição associada:Instituto Politécnico de Bragança
Idioma:inglês
Origem:Biblioteca Digital do IPB
Descrição
Resumo:The worldwide intensification of environmental problems has increased political debates and educational concerns about behaviors and citizens’ responsibilities. Studying the factors and dynamics of environmental attitudes is critical for environmental behaviors. However, studies regarding environmental attitudes throughout adolescence and considering rural and urban regions are lacking. This study investigated the environmental attitudes of early and middle adolescents, comparing rural and urban regions. The sample consisted of 1,262 students (53.6% women) who completed two environmental attitude inventories: one measuring ecocentrism (sustaining environmental preservation) and another measuring anthropocentrism (sustaining environmental utilization). Urban students presented higher anthropocentric attitudes than rural students. Early adolescents scored higher on ecocentric attitudes, whereas middle adolescents scored higher on anthropocentric attitudes. Urban students increased anthropocentric attitudes from early to middle adolescence, while rural students decreased ecocentric attitudes. The findings highlight developmental and contextual differences in environmental attitudes, which have implications for education and policy. We discuss recommendations for future research.