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The Socioeconomic Determinants of Individual Environmental Concern: Evidence from Shanghai Data

Author

Listed:
  • Junyi Shen

    (Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University)

  • Tatsuyoshi Saijo

    (ISER, Osaka University)

Abstract

This study examines the influence of socioeconomic characteristics on eleven measures of environmental concern by applying a pooled sample of 1200 individuals in Shanghai, China. Previous studies, which made efforts to explain environmental concern as a function of social structure, suggest that there are traditionally five hypotheses (the age, gender, social class, residence, and political hypotheses) for socioeconomic determinants, which are associated with individual environmental concerns. Unlike those methodologies adopted in many previous studies, we apply an ordered probit model to test three hypotheses (the age, gender, and social class hypotheses) in this study. As a result, high income and high education level are found to be positively related to environmental concern as expected. However, we find that in contrast to most of the existing studies, the marginal effect of age on the probability of being environmentally concerned is positive in several measures, implying that the older are more concerned about the environment than the younger. In addition, weak evidences indicate that women are less concerned about the environment than men. Other socioeconomic characteristics such as employment status and household size are not significant in most of the environmental concern measures we defined.

Suggested Citation

  • Junyi Shen & Tatsuyoshi Saijo, 2007. "The Socioeconomic Determinants of Individual Environmental Concern: Evidence from Shanghai Data," OSIPP Discussion Paper 07E003, Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University.
    • Handle: RePEc:osp:wpaper:07e003
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    File URL: http://www.osipp.osaka-u.ac.jp/archives/DP/2007/DP2007E003.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. H. Peter Witzke & Guido Urfei, 2001. "Willingness To Pay for Environmental Protection in Germany: Coping With the Regional Dimension," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(3), pages 207-214.
    2. Thomas Dietz & Linda Kalof & Paul C. Stern, 2002. "Gender, Values, and Environmentalism," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 83(1), pages 353-364, March.
    3. Lori M. Hunter & Alison Hatch & Aaron Johnson, 2004. "Cross‐National Gender Variation in Environmental Behaviors," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 85(3), pages 677-694, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mohammad Masud Alam & AFM Zakaria, 2021. "A Probit Estimation of Urban Bases of Environmental Awareness: Evidence from Sylhet City, Bangladesh," Papers 2107.08342, arXiv.org, revised Sep 2021.
    2. Owino Odhiambo Joseph, 2021. "Pro-Environmental Consumer Behavior: A Critical Review of Literature," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 15(1), pages 1-1, July.
    3. Mills, Bradford & Schleich, Joachim, 2012. "Residential energy-efficient technology adoption, energy conservation, knowledge, and attitudes: An analysis of European countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 616-628.
    4. Junyi Shen & Tatsuyoshi Saijo, 2007. "Does energy efficiency label alter consumers f purchase decision? A latent class approach on Shanghai data," OSIPP Discussion Paper 07E005, Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University.
    5. Felix Richter & Malte Steenbeck & Markus Wilhelm, 2013. "Nuclear Accidents and Policy: Notes on Public Perception," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 590, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    6. Alam, Mohammad Masud, 2013. "A Probit Estimation of Urban Bases of Environmental Awareness: Evidence from Sylhet City, Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 108711, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Simangele Dlamini & Solomon G. Tesfamichael & Yegnanew Shiferaw & Tholang Mokhele, 2020. "Determinants of Environmental Perceptions and Attitudes in a Socio-Demographically Diverse Urban Setup: The Case of Gauteng Province, South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-15, April.
    8. Jelle Boeve-de Pauw & Peter Petegem, 2010. "A cross-national perspective on youth environmental attitudes," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 133-144, June.
    9. Vladimir Udalov & Paul J. J. Welfens, 2021. "Digital and competing information sources: Impact on environmental concern and prospects for international policy cooperation," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 631-660, October.
    10. Giovanis, Eleftherios & Ozdamar, Oznur, 2014. "Relationship between health status and recycling rates: Evidence from Great Britain," MPRA Paper 64405, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Socioeconomic determinants; Environmental Concern; Ordered Probit Model; Chinese;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C25 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions; Probabilities
    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access
    • Q59 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Other

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