Structural Model of Relationships in Students' Perception of Environmental Education and Sustainable Development (Case Study: Management, Economics and Accounting Students)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Economics Department, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

2 Professor, Economics Department, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

10.30473/ee.2026.73960.2825

Abstract

As industrial activity expands and environmental constraints become increasingly apparent, the need to foster pro-environmental behavior at both individual and societal levels has become more urgent. The environment is a dynamic system that both shapes human well-being and is shaped by human actions, and it has therefore emerged as a central concern for researchers and policymakers. It is now widely recognized that sustainable development and long-term economic growth cannot be achieved without a healthy and high-quality environment. In this context, university students represent a particularly influential group whose active engagement is essential to environmental improvement. This study examines students’ environmental perceptions and identifies the factors influencing their environmental attitudes and behaviors. The research adopts an applied, descriptive-survey design. Data were collected through a researcher-developed questionnaire administered to students enrolled in management, economics, and accounting programs at Payame Noor University in Markazi Province. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using LISREL software was employed to analyze the relationships among environmental education, environmental perception, environmental attitudes, and environmental behavior. The results show that environmental education is the strongest predictor of both environmental perception and behavior. It significantly enhances students’ understanding of environmental issues and sustainable development, thereby strengthening their environmental perceptions. Moreover, environmental perception has a positive and significant effect on environmental behavior and mediates the impact of environmental education on pro-environmental actions. Environmental education also exerts a direct effect on behavior in addition to its indirect influence through perception. In contrast, individual characteristics such as age, gender, and parental education exhibit weak and statistically insignificant effects.
This study examines students’ environmental perceptions and identifies the factors influencing their environmental attitudes and behaviors. The research adopts an applied, descriptive-survey design. Data were collected through a researcher-developed questionnaire administered to students enrolled in management, economics, and accounting programs at Payame Noor University in Markazi Province. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using LISREL software was employed to analyze the relationships among environmental education, environmental perception, environmental attitudes, and environmental behavior.

The results show that environmental education is the strongest predictor of both environmental perception and behavior. It significantly enhances students’ understanding of environmental issues and sustainable development, thereby strengthening their environmental perceptions. Moreover, environmental perception has a positive and significant effect on environmental behavior and mediates the impact of environmental education on pro-environmental actions. Environmental education also exerts a direct effect on behavior in addition to its indirect influence through perception. In contrast, individual characteristics such as age, gender, and parental education exhibit weak and statistically insignificant effects.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journals of Environmental Education and Sustainable Development
Volume 14, Issue 4
September 2026
Pages 71-86

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