Investigating Environmentally Responsible Behavior: A Phenomenological Study of the Personal Behaviors of Acknowledged Leaders in the Area of Climate Change
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Ohio State University / OhioLINK
2012
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1344874491 |
| id |
ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-osu1344874491 |
|---|---|
| record_format |
oai_dc |
| spelling |
ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-osu13448744912021-08-03T06:06:17Z Investigating Environmentally Responsible Behavior: A Phenomenological Study of the Personal Behaviors of Acknowledged Leaders in the Area of Climate Change Braun, Nichole A. Environmental Education Environmentally Responsible Behavior Conservation Behavior Responsible Environmental Behavior Mind-Behavior Gap Climate Change Behavior The question of the apparent ‘gap’ between what people intend to do with regards to the environment and what they actually do has been simultaneously accepted in environmental education and behavior while at the same time remaining controversial. While we know many of the characteristics of those who engage in pro-environmental behaviors and the external factors, such as money, time limitations and opportunity that either strengthen or counteract these characteristics, less is known about the internal, mental process that results in action or inaction. Not understanding these internal processes may account for our continued observations of a discrepancy between what people know, think, feel, believe, and intend to do about environmental issues and their actual conservation behavior. This study was conducted in two parts: a primary phenomenological study and an emergent, descriptive quantitative study. The phenomenological study described the personal behaviors of eleven acknowledged leaders in the area of climate change, specifically understanding the motivations for, and processes used to decide on environmentally responsible behaviors. Analysis reveals that the need to choose a behavior often initiated the evaluation of behavioral options and context influenced which environmental options could be taken. The results suggest that the process residing in the ‘gap’ is one of weighing options and making trade-offs. When faced with a behavioral decision that would impact the environment, participants considered a number of factors in deciding on how to proceed. The need to protect the environment was only one among many considerations, and decisions on which behaviors to engage in, and when, were consistent with their overall internal and external, situation specific needs. It was also revealed that such trade-offs can result in cognitive dissonance, specifically feelings of guilt. Finally, findings were suggestive of a potential need to reevaluate the micro and macro level solutions in environmental education’s approach to climate change, possibly in our approach to many environmental problems. Analysis of the quantitative portion of the study revealed that respondents have strong expectations about the behaviors of others and while they may or may not act on those expectations, they may in fact hold a judgment about the behavior and/or the person performing the behavior. If taken together, results indicate that the perceived gap may not be an internal gap, experienced by the individual doing a given behavior, but rather an artifact of the expectations of others about how people should act. 2012-08-29 English text The Ohio State University / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1344874491 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1344874491 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
| collection |
NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
Environmental Education Environmentally Responsible Behavior Conservation Behavior Responsible Environmental Behavior Mind-Behavior Gap Climate Change Behavior |
| spellingShingle |
Environmental Education Environmentally Responsible Behavior Conservation Behavior Responsible Environmental Behavior Mind-Behavior Gap Climate Change Behavior Braun, Nichole A. Investigating Environmentally Responsible Behavior: A Phenomenological Study of the Personal Behaviors of Acknowledged Leaders in the Area of Climate Change |
| author |
Braun, Nichole A. |
| author_facet |
Braun, Nichole A. |
| author_sort |
Braun, Nichole A. |
| title |
Investigating Environmentally Responsible Behavior: A Phenomenological Study of the Personal Behaviors of Acknowledged Leaders in the Area of Climate Change |
| title_short |
Investigating Environmentally Responsible Behavior: A Phenomenological Study of the Personal Behaviors of Acknowledged Leaders in the Area of Climate Change |
| title_full |
Investigating Environmentally Responsible Behavior: A Phenomenological Study of the Personal Behaviors of Acknowledged Leaders in the Area of Climate Change |
| title_fullStr |
Investigating Environmentally Responsible Behavior: A Phenomenological Study of the Personal Behaviors of Acknowledged Leaders in the Area of Climate Change |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Investigating Environmentally Responsible Behavior: A Phenomenological Study of the Personal Behaviors of Acknowledged Leaders in the Area of Climate Change |
| title_sort |
investigating environmentally responsible behavior: a phenomenological study of the personal behaviors of acknowledged leaders in the area of climate change |
| publisher |
The Ohio State University / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2012 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1344874491 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT braunnicholea investigatingenvironmentallyresponsiblebehavioraphenomenologicalstudyofthepersonalbehaviorsofacknowledgedleadersintheareaofclimatechange |
| _version_ |
1719430963408142336 |