Investigating the Relationship between Environmental Knowledge and Attitudes and Environmental Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Conscientiousness in Students

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

2 Ph.D. Student of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

3 Ph.D. of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

10.30473/ee.2025.71605.2746

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between environmental knowledge and environmental attitudes and pro-environmental behaviors, focusing on the mediating role of conscientiousness among students. This research employed a descriptive–correlational design using path analysis. The statistical population comprised high school students in Shiraz, of whom 270 were selected through cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Environmental Behavior Scale (Imamgholi, 2011), the Environmental Attitude Scale (Thompson & Barton, 1994), the Environmental Knowledge Scale (Mei et al., 2012), and the NEO Personality Inventory (McCrae & Costa, 1989). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-22 and AMOS-22. The findings indicated that environmental knowledge and attitudes were significantly and positively related to conscientiousness and pro-environmental behaviors. Moreover, both environmental knowledge and attitudes had direct significant effects on pro-environmental behaviors, and conscientiousness also exerted a direct and significant effect on these behaviors. The results further revealed that conscientiousness significantly mediated the relationship between environmental knowledge and attitudes with pro-environmental behaviors. The proposed model explained 57% of the variance in pro-environmental behaviors and demonstrated a good fit (RMSEA = 0.001). In conclusion, the findings indicated that conscientiousness plays a crucial role in strengthening pro-environmental behaviors, and that increasing knowledge and attitudes alone is not sufficient for lasting change. Therefore, educational programs should not only enhance awareness and attitudes but also foster responsibility and personal commitment to promote sustainable environmental behaviors.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Akbari Armand, M., Babaei, F., Mohammadi, A., & Moharram Nejad, N. (2019). “Comparing the level of environmental literacy of high school students in an environmental and non-environmental school environment in order to achieve sustainable development goals”. Sustainability, Development and Environment, 1(4), 33-43. [In Persian] https://sanad.iau.ir/Journal/jsde/Article/846788
Akhtar, F. (2022). “Big-five personality traits and pro-environmental investment specifics from an emerging economy”. Global Business Review, 23(2), 354-371.‏ https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150919858485
Akhtar, F., Thyagaraj, K. S., & Das, N. (2018). “Perceived investment performance of individual investors is related to the big-five and the general factor of personality (GPF)”. Global Business Review, 19(2), 342–356. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150917713527
Aman, A. L., Harun, A., & Hussein, Z. (2012). “The influence of environmental knowledge and concern on green purchase intention the role of attitude as a mediating variable”. British Journal of Arts and social sciences, 7(2), 145-167. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297312059
Azizipour, Z., Maleknia, R., & Rahimian, M. (2024). “Analysis of Willingness to Participate in Forest Management: Investigating Socio-Economic Factors and Barrier in Khorram Abad’s Urban Forests”. Journal Wood Forest Science Technology, 30, 74–91. [In Persian] 10.22069/jwfst.2024.21945.2047
Badsar, M., Moghim, M., & Ghasemi, M. (2023). “Analysis of factors influencing farmers’ sustainable environmental behavior in agriculture activities: Integration of the planned behavior and the protection motivation theories”. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 25(9), 9903-9934. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-022-02468-3
Bozoglu, M., Bilgic, A., Topuz, B. K., & Ardali, Y. (2016). “Factors affecting the students’ environmental awareness, attitudes and behaviors in Ondokuz Mayis University, Turkey”. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin, 25(4), 1243-1257. https://avesis.omu.edu.tr/yayin/c1421756-c5cc-4540-99b2-5ec50007e27
Candrianto, C., Aimon, H., & Sentosa, S. U. (2023). “The role of knowledge, awareness and environmental attitudes in green product management”. Global Journal of Environmental Science and Management, 9(1), 101-112. 10.22034/gjesm.2023.01.08
Casaló, L. V., & Escario, J. J. (2016). “Intergenerational association of environmental concern: Evidence of parents' and children's concern”. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 48, 65-74.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.09.001
Casaló, L. V., & Escario, J. J. (2018). “Heterogeneity in the association between environmental attitudes and pro-environmental behavior: A multilevel regression approach”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 175, 155-163.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.11.237
Coco Chin, K. K., Mahanta, J., & Nath, T. K. (2023). “Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices toward Plastic Pollution among Malaysians: Implications for Minimizing Plastic Use and Pollution”. Sustainability, 15(2), 1164. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021164
Dölek, B. Ş., & Akyol, G. (2023). “Inspecting primary school students’ environmental attitudes based on ecocentric and anthropocentric perspectives”. Turkish Journal of Education, 12(3), 122-141. https://doi.org/10.19128/turje.1177454
Duong, C. D. (2022). “Big Five personality traits and green consumption: bridging the attitude-intention-behavior gap”. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 34(6), 1123-1144. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-04-2021-0276
Gansser, O. A., & Reich, C. S. (2023). “Influence of the new ecological paradigm (NEP) and environmental concerns on pro-environmental behavioral intention based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB)”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 382, 134629.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134629
Grossi Farshi, M Tg., M., Mehyar, A. H., & Ghazi Tabatabai, M. (2010). “The use of Neo personality tests and the analysis of their factor characteristics in students”, Al-Zahra University Humanities Research Quarterly, 11 (30), 173-198. [In Persian] https://www.sid.ir/paper/13971/fa
Heimlich, J. E., & Ardoin, N. M. (2008). “Understanding behavior to understand behavior change: A literature review”. Environmental education research, 14(3), 215-237. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620802148881
Hirsh, J. B. (2010). “Personality and environmental concern”. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(2), 245–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.01.004
Hoshyar, V., Behboodi, O., & Ahmadi Saeed, S. F. (2024). “The impact of personal values on pro-environmental behavior”. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 25(5), 1220-1246. https://doi.org/10.1080/1528008X.2022.2151548
Imamgholi, L. (2011). “Investigating the Effect of Social Capital on Environmental Behaviors (Case Study: Kurdistan Province)”. Master's Thesis in Sociology, Babolsar: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran. [In Persian] https://ganj.irandoc.ac.ir/#/articles/5673cf505a272643350501e76e8261ee
Kanada, M., Norman, P., Kaida, N., & Carver, S. (2023). “Linking environmental knowledge, attitude, and behavior with place: a case study for strategic environmental education planning in Saint Lucia”. Environmental Education Research, 29(7), 929-950.‏ https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2022.2074376
Karan Ram, D., Gautam, U., Tewari, D. B., & Pham, L. T. (2022). “Environmental literacy and attitudes of self-efficacy in environmental education”. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 6(3), 4133-4137. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359474965
Karatekin, K., Hacat, S. O., & Demir, F. B. (2023). “Investigation of attitudes towards solid waste and recycling from a social perspective”. Türk Akademik Yayınlar Dergisi (TAY Journal), 7(1), 152-178. https://doi.org/10.29329/tayjournal.2023.537.08
Kim, M. S., & Stepchenkova, S. (2020). “Altruistic values and environmental knowledge as triggers of pro-environmental behavior among tourists”. Current Issues in Tourism, 23(13), 1575-1580.‏ https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2019.1628188
Kurokawa, H., Igei, K., Kitsuki, A., Kurita, K., Managi, S., Nakamuro, M., & Sakano, A. (2023). “Improvement impact of nudges incorporated in environmental education on students’ environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors”. Journal of Environmental Management, 325, 116612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116612
Liu, P., Teng, M., & Han, C. (2020). “How does environmental knowledge translate into pro-environmental behaviors?: The mediating role of environmental attitudes and behavioral intentions”. Science of the total environment, 728, 138126.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138126
Mafakheri, A. A. (2018). “Spiritual intelligence and environmental attitudes”. Sociology of Education, 3(1), 142-150. [In Persian] https://www.iase-jrn.ir/index.php/se/article/view/48
McCrae R.R., & Costa P.T., Jr. (1989). “Rotation to maximize the construct validity of factors in the NEO Personality Inventory”. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 24, 107-124. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327906mbr2401_7
Mei, O. J., Ling, K. C., & Piew, T. H. (2012). “The antecedents of green purchase intention among Malaysian consumers”. Asian Social Science, 8(13), 248. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v8n13p246
Milfont, T. L., & Sibley, C. G. (2012). “The big five personality traits and environmental engagement: Associations at the individual and societal level”. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 32(2), 187-195.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2011.12.006
Mohammadi, P., Maleknia, R., & Rahimian, M. (2024). “An Examination of participatory behavior of Urban Forests visitors: Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior in the Urban Forests of Khorram Abad”. Iranian Journal of Forest, 16(2), 197-211. [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.22034/ijf.2023.406478.1936
Mohammadian, M., & Bakhshandeh, G. (2014). “Exploring the Effective Factors on Consumers’ Attitude and Green Purchase Intention”. Management Studies in Development and Evolution, 23(75), 39-68. [In Persian] https://doi.org/20.1001.1.22518037.1393.23.75.3.2
Ritter, Á. M., Borchardt, M., Vaccaro, G. L., Pereira, G. M., & Almeida, F. (2015). “Motivations for promoting the consumption of green products in an emerging country: exploring attitudes of Brazilian consumers”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 507-520.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.11.066
Roccas, S., Sagiv, L., Schwartz, S. H., & Knafo, A. (2002). “The big five personality factors and personal values”. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28(6), 789-801. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167202289008
Sabzehei, M. T., Gholipoor, S. & Adinevand, M. (2016). “A Survey of the Relationship Between Environmental Awareness, Attitude and Pro-environmental Behavior of Female Students at Qom University”. Journals of Environmental Education and Sustainable Development, 4(4), 16-5. [In Persian] https://doi.org/20.1001.1.23223057.1395.4.4.1.9
Simsar, A., Doğan, Y., & Sezer, G. (2021). “The ecocentric and anthropocentric attitudes towards different environmental phenomena: A sample of Syrian refugee children”. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 70, 101005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2021.101005
Soutter, A. R. B., Bates, T. C., & Mõttus, R. (2020). “Big Five and HEXACO personality traits, proenvironmental attitudes, and behaviors: A meta-analysis”. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(4), 913–941. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691620903019
Thompson, S. C. & Barton, M. A. (1994). “Ecocentric and anthropocentric attitudes”. Journal of environmental psychology. 14, 149- 157. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(05)80168-9
Turner, M., & Hodis, F. A. (2025). “Strengthening conscientiousness by means of interventions: A systematic review”. Educational Psychology Review, 37(2), 39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-025-10016-4
Wu, D. W. L., DiGiacomo, A., & Kingstone, A. (2013). “A sustainable building promotes pro-environmental behavior: An observational study on food disposal”. PloS one, 8(1),1-4. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0053856
Yang, C., & Arhonditsis, G. B. (2022). “What are the primary covariates of environmental attitudes and behaviours in Canada? A national-scale analysis of socioeconomic, political, and demographic factors”. Ecological Informatics, 69, 101661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101661
Yıldız, T., & Erciş, A. (2022). “Investigation of green consumers' subjective well being within the scope of purchase behavior, attitudes and personality traits”. Ataturk University Journal of Economics & Administrative Sciences, 36(1), 29-42. https://doi.org/10.54614/TBE.2022.881257
Journals of Environmental Education and Sustainable Development
Volume 14, Issue 1
October 2025
Pages 63-79

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics