IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i6p3338-d769716.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Toward the Development and Validation of a Model of Environmental Citizenship of Young Adults

Author

Listed:
  • Mykolas Simas Poškus

    (Department of Environmental Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaičio Str. 58, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania)

Abstract

Growing civic participation in environmental movements shows that societies are more engaging in behavior that can be described as environmental citizenship. This behavior, however, may not necessarily be driven by factual knowledge and accurate beliefs. In the present study, a simplified model of environmental citizenship proposed by Hawthorne and Alabaster is tested in a sample of Lithuanian young adults in order to develop a working model of environmental citizenship that could be later used in intervention designs as a change model. A convenience sample of 267 young adults from 18 to 40 years of age participated in the study by filling in a questionnaire that assessed various components that comprise a model of environmental citizenship. The results indicate that, with a few modifications to better fit the data, the model fit the data well and could explain approximately 50% of the variance of environmental citizenship. The study uncovered a gap between factual (concrete) environmental knowledge and environmental literacy (perceived competence), illustrating the need to address this divide in order to ensure evidence-based participation in environmental movements and environmental citizenship behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Mykolas Simas Poškus, 2022. "Toward the Development and Validation of a Model of Environmental Citizenship of Young Adults," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:6:p:3338-:d:769716
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/6/3338/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/6/3338/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andreas Ch. Hadjichambis & Demetra Paraskeva-Hadjichambi, 2020. "Environmental Citizenship Questionnaire (ECQ): The Development and Validation of an Evaluation Instrument for Secondary School Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-12, January.
    2. Marta Romero Ariza & Jelle Boeve-de Pauw & Daniel Olsson & Peter Van Petegem & Gema Parra & Niklas Gericke, 2021. "Promoting Environmental Citizenship in Education: The Potential of the Sustainability Consciousness Questionnaire to Measure Impact of Interventions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-20, October.
    3. Yiannis Georgiou & Andreas Ch. Hadjichambis & Demetra Hadjichambi, 2021. "Teachers’ Perceptions on Environmental Citizenship: A Systematic Review of the Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-29, March.
    4. Shih-Wu Liang & Wei-Ta Fang & Shin-Cheng Yeh & Shiang-Yao Liu & Huei-Min Tsai & Jui-Yu Chou & Eric Ng, 2018. "A Nationwide Survey Evaluating the Environmental Literacy of Undergraduate Students in Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-21, May.
    5. Andrew Dobson, 2007. "Environmental citizenship: towards sustainable development," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(5), pages 276-285.
    6. Audronė Telešienė & Jelle Boeve-de Pauw & Daphne Goldman & Ralph Hansmann, 2021. "Evaluating an Educational Intervention Designed to Foster Environmental Citizenship among Undergraduate University Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-19, July.
    7. Zhu, Weiwei & Wei, Jiuchang & Zhao, Dingtao, 2016. "Anti-nuclear behavioral intentions: The role of perceived knowledge, information processing, and risk perception," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 168-177.
    8. Muhammad Mohiuddin & Abdullah Al Mamun & Fazal Ali Syed & Muhammad Mehedi Masud & Zhan Su, 2018. "Environmental Knowledge, Awareness, and Business School Students’ Intentions to Purchase Green Vehicles in Emerging Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-18, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ariel Sarid & Daphne Goldman, 2021. "A Value-Based Framework Connecting Environmental Citizenship and Change Agents for Sustainability—Implications for Education for Environmental Citizenship," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-19, April.
    2. Angela Yi Jing Tsai & Alex Yong Kwang Tan, 2022. "Analysis of Undergraduates’ Environmentally Friendly Behavior: Case Study of Tzu Chi University Environmental Education Program," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, July.
    3. Anastasia Adamou & Yiannis Georgiou & Demetra Paraskeva-Hadjichambi & Andreas Ch. Hadjichambis, 2021. "Environmental Citizen Science Initiatives as a Springboard towards the Education for Environmental Citizenship: A Systematic Literature Review of Empirical Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-29, December.
    4. Audronė Telešienė & Jelle Boeve-de Pauw & Daphne Goldman & Ralph Hansmann, 2021. "Evaluating an Educational Intervention Designed to Foster Environmental Citizenship among Undergraduate University Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-19, July.
    5. Zeng, Jing & Duan, Hongyu & Zhu, Weiwei & Song, Jingyan, 2024. "Understanding residents’ risk information seeking, processing and sharing regarding waste incineration power projects," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    6. Luigi Leclercq-Machado & Aldo Alvarez-Risco & Romina Gómez-Prado & Berdy Briggitte Cuya-Velásquez & Sharon Esquerre-Botton & Flavio Morales-Ríos & Camila Almanza-Cruz & Sarahit Castillo-Benancio & Mar, 2022. "Sustainable Fashion and Consumption Patterns in Peru: An Environmental-Attitude-Intention-Behavior Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-18, August.
    7. Sedlacek Sabine & Kurka Bernhard & Maier Gunther, 2009. "Regional identity: a key to overcome structural weaknesses in peripheral rural regions?," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 1(4), pages 180-201, January.
    8. Farzana Riva & Solon Magrizos & Mohammad Rabiul Basher Rubel, 2021. "Investigating the link between managers' green knowledge and leadership style, and their firms' environmental performance: The mediation role of green creativity," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 3228-3240, November.
    9. Niklas Harring & Sverker C. Jagers, 2013. "Should We Trust in Values? Explaining Public Support for Pro-Environmental Taxes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-18, January.
    10. Gaston Fornes & Abel Monfort & Camelia Ilie & Chun Kwong (Tony) Koo & Guillermo Cardoza, 2019. "Ethics, Responsibility, and Sustainability in MBAs. Understanding the Motivations for the Incorporation of ERS in Less Traditional Markets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-22, December.
    11. Qi, Wen-Hui & Qi, Ming-Liang & Ji, Ya-Min, 2020. "The effect path of public communication on public acceptance of nuclear energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    12. Abdullah Al Mamun & Syed Ali Fazal & Muhammad Mehedi Masud & Ganeshsree Selvachandran & Noor Raihani Zainol & Quek Shio Gai, 2020. "The Underlying Drivers of Underprivileged Households’ Intention and Behavior towards Community Forestry Management: A Study Using Structural Equation Modelling and Artificial Neural Network Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-26, September.
    13. Wang, Yu & Gu, Jibao & Wu, Jianlin, 2020. "Explaining local residents’ acceptance of rebuilding nuclear power plants: The roles of perceived general benefit and perceived local benefit," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    14. Elisabete Linhares & Pedro Reis, 2023. "Education for Environmental Citizenship in Pre-Service Teachers: Potentialities and Limitations of a Pedagogical Approach Applied at a Distance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-21, October.
    15. Emmanuel Dornyoh & Abdul-Muhaeminu Tamakloe Ocloo & Tamakloe Ocloo, 2024. "The Environmental Sustainability Practices of Students at the Cape Coast Technical University Hostels," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(3s), pages 3435-3453, August.
    16. Claudio Siminelli, 2017. "Consumer behaviours and attitudes towards a circular economy: Knowledge and culture as determinants in a four-market analysis," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2017(1-2), pages 135-169.
    17. Jae Young Lim & Kuk-Kyoung Moon, 2020. "Examining the Moderation Effect of Political Trust on the Linkage between Civic Morality and Support for Environmental Taxation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-15, June.
    18. Wang, Fan & Gu, Jibao & Wu, Jianlin, 2020. "Perspective taking, energy policy involvement, and public acceptance of nuclear energy: Evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    19. Pariman Boostani & Giuseppe Pellegrini-Masini & Jørgen Klein, 2024. "The Role of Community Energy Schemes in Reducing Energy Poverty and Promoting Social Inclusion: A Systematic Literature Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-29, July.
    20. Karolina Ertmanska, 2021. "Sustainable Consumption Among Youth Consumers," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 3), pages 203-219.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:6:p:3338-:d:769716. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.