ERIC Number: EJ1271757
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0300-4430
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Available Date: N/A
Preschoolers' Pro-Environmental Orientations and Theory of Mind: Ecocentrism and Anthropocentrism in Ecological Dilemmas
Early Child Development and Care, v190 n11 p1820-1832 2020
The globalized problems of this socio-scientific issue result from human behaviour; thus educators aim to enhance children's awareness and knowledge of and attitudes and motivations to create an environmentally sustainable society. Previous studies examine preschoolers' ecological attitudes and reasoning regarding gender and urban versus rural living. This study aims to extend this research to examine the possible associations between theory of mind (ToM), gender and story comprehension and young children's pro-environmental orientations. The study participants were 128 preschoolers. The findings revealed that (a) young children's pro-environmental orientations did not differ regarding gender, (b) the children's ToM scores were not differentiated in terms of gender, (c) children who articulated ecocentric orientations had higher ToM, and (d) story comprehension scores than children who stated anthropocentric orientations. The findings of this study imply that the use of stories in environmental education is an effective and developmentally appropriate activity for young children.
Descriptors: Preschool Children, Environmental Education, Theory of Mind, World Views, Ecology, Gender Differences, Story Reading, Reading Comprehension, Scores
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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