Beliefs about the environment

Moving from the egocentric towards the ecocentric perspective

Bibliographic Data

ID19499648
AuthorsMatija Svetina (0000-0001-9337-3655, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Askerceva 2, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia, corresponding author), Andreja Istenič Starčič (0000-0003-0513-5054, University of Ljubljana), Andreja Istenič-Starčič (University of Ljubljana, Askerceva 2, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia), Matevž Juvančič (0000-0002-7255-3152, University of Ljubljana, Askerceva 2, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia), Tomaž Novljan (University of Ljubljana, Askerceva 2, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia), Maruška Šubic‐Kovač (University of Ljubljana), Maruška Šubic-Kovač (University of Ljubljana, Askerceva 2, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia), Špela Verovšek (0000-0001-5656-636X, University of Ljubljana, Askerceva 2, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia), Tadeja Zupančič (0000-0001-5455-6918, University of Ljubljana, Askerceva 2, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia)
Year2014
Volume21
Issue6
Pages540-545
Publication date2014-11-02
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1350-4509 • E-ISSN: 1745-2627
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13504509.2014.963735
OpenAlexW2168238563
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited17

Our behaviour towards the environment depends on our beliefs about the environment. Beliefs, however, are a subject of change, particularly during important life transitions such as the transition to adolescence, because this is a period when an individual develops the ability of complex and abstract reasoning. Understanding this transition is therefore crucial for understanding and predicting the attitudes and courses of action in terms of sustainable development later in life. Due to many methodological constraints, the number of empirical studies examining these issues is very limited; the current study aimed to collect empirical data to explore the origins of our beliefs about the environment-related issues. We devised a picture association test and used it to compare children’s and adolescents’ beliefs about our environment in the context of the means of transportation. A large sample of 2264 participants aged 6–18 years took part in the study. The data supported the claim that children’s beliefs about environment share egocentric properties. The findings represent an important puzzle into the whole picture of children’s thinking and offer us great insight into the origins of beliefs about environment-related questions in adults. Educational implications are addressed

Developmental psychology · Empirical research · Epistemology · Geography · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Computer Science · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Noise Effects and Management · Psychology · Social Psychology · Ecology

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