One way to progress toward greenhouse gas reductions is for people to drive plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Households in this study participated in a 4- to 6-week PHEV driving trial. A narrative of each household's encounter with the PHEV was constructed by the researchers from multiple in-home interviews, questionnaires completed by…

Environmental values (EV) are regarded as significant precursors for environmental behavior (EB) by many scholars. The present study addresses the issue of the invariance of EV (tapped by the two-dimensional model of ecological values), and their effect on EB, across cultural contexts. In all, a total of 1,833 ten- to thirteen-year-old children…

How can existing schools significantly reduce their energy use? With energy costs rising and school budgets shrinking, energy use is a substantial cost that can be reduced through conservation efforts. Using a case study methodology, the authors compare two public high schools from the same school district, one that has achieved moderate energy…

Since May 24, 2006 millions of people have seen the movie "An Inconvenient Truth." Several countries have even proposed using the film as an educational tool in school classrooms. However, it is not yet clear that the movie accomplishes its apparent goals of increasing knowledge and concern, and motivating people to reduce their…

This article introduces an approach to tailoring behavior-change campaigns to target populations using the example of solid waste reduction in Santiago de Cuba. Tailoring is performed in the following steps: (1) Psychological constructs are selected to detect problems in performing the target behavior, and data are gathered on these constructs.…

This study employed a multiple baseline design with a reversal to evaluate the effects of two interventions for improving pedestrian safety: (a) a pedestrian safety awareness campaign and (b) a training, feedback, and reinforcement package. Elementary school children in grades one through six were the participants. Six behaviors pertinent to…

Some of the world's most profound environmental changes are under way in China. Studying the underlying forces of environment-related behaviors at all levels in China is therefore extraordinarily important. This essay helps people outside China increase their understanding of these variables by summarizing findings of Chinese-language surveys…

Previous studies have pointed out the importance of empathy in improving attitudes toward stigmatized groups and toward the environment. In the present article, it is argued that environmental behaviors and attitudes can be improved using empathic perspective-taking for inducing empathy. Based on Batson's Model of Altruism, it was predicted that…

Self prompting techniques were used to influence people to turn off lights in bathrooms. After consumers were given a method for self monitoring their behavior there was a significant drop in the number of times lights were left on in unoccupied bathrooms. (AJ)

Discusses the interrelationship between environment and behavior in institutional settings and derives therefrom some understanding of the nature of decision that determines how people live. (Author)

This paper reports the results of several independent investigations of the reliability and validity of the Environmental Concern Scale, a 16 item Likert scale assessing respondents' concerns about conservation and pollution issues. The potential utility of this scale for future research is discussed. (Author/MA)

Analyzes data from a study of expectations, outcomes, and information-processing among attendants at a University of Michigan, March, 1970 Environmental Teach-In." Also examines two studies which sought to assess resulting changes in the student population at the University of Michigan. (LK)

An examination of the relationship between population education and environment/ecology education and sex education. Attention given to questions relative to the urgency of need for and effectiveness of population education and resultant change in values and/or behavior. Research references cited. (LK)

The multitude of quality of life problems associated with declining walking rates has impelled researchers from various disciplines to identify factors related to this behavior change. Currently, this body of research is in need of a transdisciplinary, multilevel theoretical model that can help explain how individual, group, regional, and…