Investigation of Pro- Environmental Behavior of Girl’s students (Case Study of Senior Secondary Schools in Hamadan city)

Subject Areas : environmental low

mahboobeh Ataei asad ¹ , reza movahdi ²

1 - Agricultur Extension and Education, Agricultur Departeman, Bu-Ali Sina university, Hamedan, Iran
2 - Ph.D Student on Agricultural Extension and Education, Bu- Ali Sina University, Hamadan.

Received: 2020-06-01 Accepted : 2020-10-19 Published : 2022-12-22

Keywords: environmental knowledge and attitude, environment protection, girl’s students, environmental behavior,

Abstract :

Background and Objective: Pro-environmental behavior is one of the significant and important factors in protecting the environment. This behavior is dependent on different factors like individual factors, environmental knowledge and attitude, also social, economic, and cultural factors. Therefore, this study has an aim to identify factors which effect on environmental behavior of girl’s students in Hamedan city. Material and Methodology: The study has used a surveying method and statistical population was all girl’s students (N=3000) in senior secondary level of Hamadan high schools. Of those, a statistical sample (n=320) was selected using Morgan's sampling table. Data were first gathered by questionnaire during an extensive review literature, and then analyzed by using Smart PLS and SPSS softwares. Content and face validity of the questions reviewed by university professors and the reliability of the questions was tested by Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient and it was 0.83. Findings: The results showed that the environmental behavior of the target girl’s students calculated by mean statistic and it was 3.15 out of 5 (m=3.15). The results also revealed that 31 percent of the environmental behavior of the girl’s students depend on the variables include knowledge with a beta coefficient of 0.217 (β=0.217), attitude (β=0.238), media (β=0.071), individual traits (β=0.105), social factors (β=0.271), and economic factors with a beta coefficient of 0.067. Discussion and Conclusion: Finally, the results of this research may help to a better and deeper understanding of girl students’ environmental behavior in line with protecting their environment. Also, by informing and providing environmental information, the female students' knowledge and attitude can be increased towards the environment. This will eventually lead to positive and pro-environmental behaviors.

References:

1. Nik Ramli, A. Mohammad, N. (2012). Discussion of underlying theories explaining the spillover of environmentally friendly behavior Phenomenon. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 50, 1061-1072.


2. Boazar, M., Yazdanpanah, M., and Abdeshahi, A. (2019). Response to water crisis: How do Iranian farmers think about and intent in relation to switching from rice to less water-dependent crops? Journal of Hydrology, 570, 523-530.


3. Varoglu, L., Temel, S., and Yılmaz, A. (2018). Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards the environmental issues: Case of Northern Cyprus. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(3), 997-1004.


4. Onel, N. Mukherjee, A. (2015). Understanding environmentally sensitive consumer behavior an integrative research perspective. World Journal of Entrepreneurship Management and sustainable Development. 11,2-16.


5. Burton, R. (2014). The influence of farmer demographic characteristic on environmental behavior. Journal of Environmental Management.135, 19-26.


6. Ahmadian, D & Hekhedian, M. (2015)."Sociological analysis of the role of cultural factors on environmental behaviors", Journal of Urban Sociological Studies. 18, 51-76. (In Persian)


7. Karimi, S. & Saghaleini A. (2021). Factors influencing ranchers’ intentions to conserve rangelands through an extended theory of planned behavior. Global Ecology and Conservation. 26, 501-513.


8. Mancha, R. Yoder, C. (2015). Cultural antecedents of green behavioral intent. An environmental theory of planned behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 43,145-154.


9. Valizadeh, N; Bijni, M & Abbasi, E. (2014). "Environmental analysis of cooperative behavior of farmers in the protection of surface water resources in the southern catchment area of ​​Lake Urmia". Iranian Journal of Agricultural Extension and Education Sciences. 2, 183-201. (In Persian)


10. Aslam, S., Aftab, H., Martins, J. M., Mata, M. N., Qureshi, H. A., Adriano, A. M., and Mata, P. N. (2021). Sustainable model: Recommendations for water conservation strategies in a developing country through a psychosocial wellness program. Water, 13(14), 1984.


11. Abbaszadeh, M; Bani F; Hossein. Alizadeh Aghdam, M B & Alavi, L. (2015). "The intervention effect of environmentally responsible attitude on the relationship between place attachment and environmentally responsible behavior", Applied Sociology. 2, 61-80. (In Persian)


12. Eghtari, A; Khajahian, H & Tafzali, A H. (2013). "The impact of sustainable schools on the health of education and the environment". National Conference on Architecture and Sustainable Urban Landscape. pp. 1-11. (In Persian)


13. Nawah, AR; Humble Kia, Sh & Porterkaroni, M. (2011) "Investigation of the relationship between the level of religiosity and environmental values ​​and behaviors of Ahvaz city case study citizens", Urban Sociological Studies. 1, 77-98. (In Persian)


14. Valiullahi, J & Maqsoudi Mehrabani, K. (2010). "The role of environmental education in education and public culture", 4th conference and specialized exhibition of environmental engineering. pp. 1-13. (In Persian)


15. Salehi, S & Ghaemi Asal, Z. (2013). "Investigating the relationship between environmental education and environmental protection behaviors in a case study of girls' high schools in Babol city", Environmental Education and Sustainable Development Quarterly. 3, 67-79. (In Persian)


16. Keshavarz, M., and Karami, E. (2016). Farmers’ pro-environmental behavior under drought: Application of protection motivation theory. Journal of Arid Environments, 127, 128-136.


17. Koopaei, A. (2014). Environmental Management System ISO 14001. Journal of Daneshe Nama Isfahan Engineering Organization. (3), 77-80.


18. Firouzi, MA; Mohammadi Dh Cheshme, M & Saidi, J. 2016. "Evaluation of environmental sustainability indicators with an emphasis on air pollution and industrial pollutants in the case study of Ahvaz metropolis", Urban Ecology Research Quarterly. 15, 13-28. (In Persian)


19. Mohammadinia, T; Destranj, M; Maintenance, p & Salimi Shurbakhorlou, N. (2018). "Institutionalization of environmental culture based on Islamic culture", Environmental Education and Sustainable Development Quarterly. 1, 9-21. (In Persian)


20. Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 50(2), 179-211.


21. Wang, S., Wang, J., Yang, S., Li, J., Zhou, K., 2020. From intention to behavior: comprehending residents’ waste sorting intention and behavior formation process. J. Waste Manag. 113, 41-


22. Kaiser, Wolfing, S. & Fuhrer, U. (1999). Environmental attitude and ecological behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology.19,1-19.


23. Wauters, E. Bielders, C.  poesen, J.  Govers, G. & Mathijs, E. (2010). Adoption of soil conservation practices in Belgium. An examination of the theory of planned behavior in the agri-environment domain, land use policy, 27 (1), 86-94.


24. Arcury,T. (1990). Environmental attitude and environmental knowledge. Human Organization. (49), 300-304.


25. Ferdowsi, S; Mortazavi, Sh & Rizvani, N. (2016). "The relationship between environmental knowledge and environmental protection behaviors", Sociology Special. 53, 253-266. (In Persian)


26. Sabzeei, M T; Qolipour, S & Adinevand, M. (2015). "Investigation of the relationship between knowledge, attitude and pro-environmental behavior of female students of Qom University", Environmental Education and Sustainable Development Quarterly. 4, 1-12. (In Persian)


27. Grimmette, K. (2014). The impact of environmental education on youth and their environmental awareness. Undergraduate thesis university of Nebraska.


28. Molina, M. Fernandez-Sainz, A. & Izagirre-Olaizola, J. (2013). Environmental knowledge and other variables affecting pro- environmental behavior. Comparison of university students from emerging and advanced countries. Journal of cleaner production. 61,130- 138.


29. Aminrad, Z. Azizi, M; &Wahab, M. (2010). Environmental awareness and attitude among Iranian student in Malaysian universities environmental Asia. 10 (3), 1-10.


30. Ayodeji, I. (2010). Exploring secondary school students understanding and practices of waste management in Ogun State Nigeria. International. Journal of Environmental & Science Education. l 5 (2), 201-215.


31. Kollmuss, Agyeman, J. (2002). Mind the Gsp why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro- environmental behavior. Environmental Education, 8, 239-260.


32. Salehi, S & Pazukinejad, Z. (2013). "Analysis of social factors affecting students' environmental attitude and performance", Isfahan University Humanities Research Journal. 3, 71-88. (In Persian)


33. Karimi, S. (2016). The relationship between environmental knowledge and environmentalist behavior of agricultural students of Bu-Ali Sina University: the mediating role of environmental attitude. Journal of Environmental Education and Sustainable Development. 6, 127-140. (In Persian)


34. Hassan, A. Ismail, M. (2011). The infusion of Environmental Education (EE) in chemistry teaching and students’ awareness and attitudes towards environment in Malaysia, Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences. 15, 3404– 3409.


35. Kose, S. Genser, A; & Genzer, K. (2011). Investigation of undergraduate student environmental attitudes international electronic. Journal of Environmental education. 1 (2), 1-12.


36. Albayrak, T. Caber, M. Moutinho, L & Herstein, (2011). The influence of skepticism on green purchase behavior. International Journal of Business and social science, 2, 189-197.


37. Masud, M. Akhtar, R. Afroz, R. Al-Amin, A. & Kari, F. (2013).  Pro-environmental behavior and public understanding of climate change.  Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change. 20, (4), 591-600.


38. Aghaari Heer, T; Hanrour, H & Alizadeh Aghdam, MB. (2015). The mediating role of consumerism and ecological footprint, a case study of Urmia citizens. Environmental education and sustainable development quarterly. No. 16. (In Persian)


39. Shabiri, M; Shamsi Popkiade, Z & Ebrahimi, H. (2012). The implementation effects of environmental education programs on nature tourism, a case study of Langrood school students. Journal of tourism planning and development. 7, 148-162. (In Persian)