1. Environmental Studies, San Jose State UniversityEnvironmental Studies, San Jose State University
Cristal GalindoCristal Galindo
A behavioral study on the environmental gap at San Jose State University
Background:
Research Question: Do environmental studies majors
have a narrower value-action gap?
Hypothesis: An Environmental Studies major does have
a narrower value-action gap?
Null Hypothesis: An Environmental Studies major has
the same value-action gap as any other majors?
Methods:
Discussion:
Professor and Advisor:
Dustin Mulvaney
Ph.D., Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz
Acknowledgments:
Reference:
Results:
Understanding a person’s value-action gap can
alluded to the indicative influential factors.
Studies show that there are influential barriers
between the individual and its society that
prevents them from accepting the responsibility
of for the environment, this is called the value
gap (Blake 1999). The value-action gap
measures an individuals willingness to behave
upon their values. For example, if an individual
values a high-quality environment that is free of
pollution, their behavior may or may not result
in sustainable practices. I want to measure the
difference among value-action gaps between
Environmental Studies majors and all other
majors.
A survey made available online over a period of three
days with a total of 168 respondents.
Survey based on environmental variables of air
pollution, water pollution, and energy consumption.
An environmental value score of one, two, or three
means there is an environmental value and people with
a score of 0 indicate no value. An environmental action
score below three indicated unsatisfactory pro-
environmental actions and a score above three indicated
satisfactory pro-environmental actions.
Agyemen J. & Kollmuss A. 2002. Mind the Gap: why do people act environmentally and what are the
barriers to pro-environmental behavior? Routledge. [published online July 1, 2010; accessed September 16,
2015] (8) 2: 239-260. Doi:10.1080/1350462022014540
Blake J. 1999. Overcoming the 'Value--Action Gap' in environmental policy: tensions between national
policy and local experience. Routledge. [accessed September 11, 2015] (4) 3. EBSCOHost.
The objective of this study was to determine if
San Jose State University students with a
major in Environmental Studies are influenced
by their education to act more environmental
friendly than those students with other
educational majors. The results show that
Environmental Studies students do apply
themselves with more effort in their daily lives
to conserve resources and preserve the
environment because they have a narrower
value-action gap.
Individuals that face a larger value-action gap
impact poor behavior that can negatively
affect the environment, which is also known as
resulting in poor environmental behavior
(Blake 1999).
Conflicting research proposed that extensive
education provides individuals with deeper
knowledge about environmental issues,
however, it may not increase pro-
environmental behavior (Agyemen and
Kollmuss 2002).
Mann-Whitney U test 2452.000
Two-tailed p-value 0.110
Reject the Null Hypothesis
Groups N Mean Rank of Action Scores
Environmental Studies 47 76.17
Other Majors 121 87.74
Total 168