High School Students’ Environmental Attitude: Scale Development and Validation

This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable instrument to be used for measuring high school students’ attitudes toward environment and its applications. Data gathered from 350 high school students provided evidence for the validity and reliability of the new instrument which consists of 35 attitude items on a four point Likert type scale. Results of the factor analysis with varimax rotation showed that, items constituting Environmental Attitude Scale (EAS) grouped under four subscales: (1) Environmental awareness; (2) Attitudes towards recovery; (3) Attitudes towards recycling; (4) Environmental consciousness and behavior. Each environmental attitude item had a factor loading of at least 0.40 with its own scale. The alpha reliability coefficient for the subscales ranged from 0.70 to 0.84. According to these findings, the EAS is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used in the field of environmental and science education. Address for correspondence: Phone: +90 266 241 27 62 – 523 Fax: +90 266 249 50 05 E–mail: [email protected] INTRODUCTION Humans continue to engage environmental unfriendly behaviors at the individual, corporate, governmental, and societal levels (Ugulu and Erkol 2013). These behaviors contributed, and continue to contribute to the creation and exacerbation of several environmental problems that might pose serious threats to the well-being of humans and all living species (Gore 1993). It is clear that individuals with negative attitudes towards the environment will be inconsiderate towards environmental problems and will continue to pose problems to the environment (Uzun and Saglam 2006). For this reason, environmental education is crucial to prepare environmentally literate students who, as future citizens, would play an active role in protecting the environment through making informed decisions and taking environmental friendly actions (UNESCO–UNEP 1991). Environmental education is a long-term process of developing the skills and behavior necessary to understand and accept the relationships between people, culture and the natural environment. In addition, environmental education is a sequential process that attempts to increase understanding of the environment and promote pro-environmental values. Its ultimate aim is to motivate citizens to act individually and collectively in an environmentally conscious manner that balances the social, economic, and ecological needs of today without compromising those of the future (Hungerford et al. 1980; Yorek et al. 2010). It is a means to prepare society in practical decision making and to teach environmentally friendly behavior. It should, therefore, be a fundamental and integral part of education for all members of society. Environmental education syllabuses at all educational levels (both formal and informal) should be prepared so as to help achieve these aims (Grodzinska-Jurczak et al. 2006). Current literature suggests that environmental education programs intending to encourage pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors and to develop a personal ecological knowledge base among participants should offer a variety of techniques and characteristics within various sequential stages (Farmer et al. 2007). Some suggested characteristics are as the following: (a) direct aesthetic experience with the natural environment (Gigliotti 1990), (b) environmental restoration activities to increase participant ownership (Hartig et al. 2001), (c) sensitive or emotional content (Pooley and O’Conner 2000), (d) a multi-sensory learning environment to promote student engagement (Smeesters et al. 2001), and (e) relevant and personal information that promotes empowerment and ownership (Hungerford 1996). Environmental Attitudes and Behavior Attitudes, defined by social psychology as “favorable or unfavorable evaluations of and © Kamla-Raj 2013 Int J Edu Sci, 5(4): 415-424 (2013)