Measuring adolescents’ level of interest in nature: a promising psychological factor facilitating nature protection
Studies indicate that young people are more prepared to engage in pro-environmental behavior if they are interested in nature and recognize it as worthy of protection. However, a reliable instrument to measure adolescents’ interest in nature is still lacking. Therefore, we developed a new metric, th...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1186557/full |
| _version_ | 1797798466905178112 |
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| author | Anna-Lena Neurohr Nadine Pasch Siegmar Otto Andrea Möller Andrea Möller |
| author_facet | Anna-Lena Neurohr Nadine Pasch Siegmar Otto Andrea Möller Andrea Möller |
| author_sort | Anna-Lena Neurohr |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studies indicate that young people are more prepared to engage in pro-environmental behavior if they are interested in nature and recognize it as worthy of protection. However, a reliable instrument to measure adolescents’ interest in nature is still lacking. Therefore, we developed a new metric, the Scale of Interest in Nature (SIN). It consists of 18 items, is based on Item-Response-Theory and was validated using the known group approach (N = 351 adolescents). Results indicate that adolescents’ interest in nature correlates positively with their connection with nature, their intention to preserve nature and engagement in pro-environmental activities in their free time. Bivariate Pearson correlations between the SIN and the Connectedness to Nature Scale (INS), as well as the Environmental Values model (2-MEV) demonstrated the scale’s construct validity. Hence, the SIN scale provides an economical way to measure adolescents’ interest in nature in research contexts or environmental and sustainability education settings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:04:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-56eeb1d21e3a4818ac21b59384b0a0fd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:04:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-56eeb1d21e3a4818ac21b59384b0a0fd2023-06-21T09:53:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-06-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.11865571186557Measuring adolescents’ level of interest in nature: a promising psychological factor facilitating nature protectionAnna-Lena Neurohr0Nadine Pasch1Siegmar Otto2Andrea Möller3Andrea Möller4Austrian Educational Competence Centre for Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaBiology Education, University of Trier, Trier, GermanyDepartment of Sustainable Development and Change, University of Hohenheim, Hohenheim, GermanyAustrian Educational Competence Centre for Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaStudies indicate that young people are more prepared to engage in pro-environmental behavior if they are interested in nature and recognize it as worthy of protection. However, a reliable instrument to measure adolescents’ interest in nature is still lacking. Therefore, we developed a new metric, the Scale of Interest in Nature (SIN). It consists of 18 items, is based on Item-Response-Theory and was validated using the known group approach (N = 351 adolescents). Results indicate that adolescents’ interest in nature correlates positively with their connection with nature, their intention to preserve nature and engagement in pro-environmental activities in their free time. Bivariate Pearson correlations between the SIN and the Connectedness to Nature Scale (INS), as well as the Environmental Values model (2-MEV) demonstrated the scale’s construct validity. Hence, the SIN scale provides an economical way to measure adolescents’ interest in nature in research contexts or environmental and sustainability education settings.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1186557/fullinterest in natureattitude measurementsenvironmental attitudesadolescent attitudesconnection with natureitem response theory |
| spellingShingle | Anna-Lena Neurohr Nadine Pasch Siegmar Otto Andrea Möller Andrea Möller Measuring adolescents’ level of interest in nature: a promising psychological factor facilitating nature protection Frontiers in Psychology interest in nature attitude measurements environmental attitudes adolescent attitudes connection with nature item response theory |
| title | Measuring adolescents’ level of interest in nature: a promising psychological factor facilitating nature protection |
| title_full | Measuring adolescents’ level of interest in nature: a promising psychological factor facilitating nature protection |
| title_fullStr | Measuring adolescents’ level of interest in nature: a promising psychological factor facilitating nature protection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Measuring adolescents’ level of interest in nature: a promising psychological factor facilitating nature protection |
| title_short | Measuring adolescents’ level of interest in nature: a promising psychological factor facilitating nature protection |
| title_sort | measuring adolescents level of interest in nature a promising psychological factor facilitating nature protection |
| topic | interest in nature attitude measurements environmental attitudes adolescent attitudes connection with nature item response theory |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1186557/full |
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