Measurement of Environmental Concern: A Review and Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Psychology
• Social Science Research Methods
• Environmental Sociology

Background:

• Increasing global environmental issues like climate change highlight the need for social and behavioral research.
• Developing reliable survey instruments for measuring environmental concern and attitudes is challenging for researchers.
• A wide array of environmental concern scales exist, complicating selection for empirical studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing scales measuring environmental concern and attitudes.
• To examine the structural validity of five commonly used environmental concern scales.
• To provide recommendations for authors on selecting and utilizing environmental concern scales effectively.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review of environmental concern scales.
• Two empirical studies were conducted to assess the structural validity of selected scales.
• Analysis adhered to principles of classical test theory.

Main Results:

• The structural validity of five frequently implemented environmental concern scales was evaluated.
• Findings reveal important implications for measurement practices in environmental research.
• The study identifies key considerations for scale selection and application.

Conclusions:

• The research provides a critical assessment of commonly used environmental concern scales.
• Recommendations are offered to enhance the rigor and validity of environmental attitude measurement.
• This work aims to guide researchers in selecting appropriate tools for studying environmental concern.