Capturing the Environmental Impact of Individual Lifestyles: Evidence of the Criterion Validity of the General Ecological Behavior Scale

被引:49
作者
Arnold, Oliver [1 ]
Kibbe, Alexandra [1 ]
Hartig, Terry [3 ,4 ]
Kaiser, Florian G. [2 ]
机构
[1] Otto Von Guericke Univ, POB 4120, D-39106 Magdeburg, Germany
[2] Otto Von Guericke Univ, Personal & Social Psychol, Magdeburg, Germany
[3] Uppsala Univ, Inst Housing & Urban Res, Environm Psychol, Uppsala, Sweden
[4] Uppsala Univ, Dept Psychol, Uppsala, Sweden
关键词
behavioral assessment; conservation (ecological behavior); test validity; affluence; energy consumption; CLIMATE-CHANGE; ENERGY-CONSERVATION; ATTITUDES; PSYCHOLOGY; PROTECTION; MOTIVATION; EXPLANATION; CONSUMPTION; DRIVERS; NATIONS;
D O I
10.1177/0013916517701796
中图分类号
X [环境科学、安全科学];
学科分类号
08 ; 0830 ;
摘要
Do behavioral measures of ecological lifestyles reflect actual environmental impact? Three convenience samples of German adults (N = 881) completed such a measure, the General Ecological Behavior (GEB) scale. Their household electricity consumption was self-reported (Study 1), assessed by a smart-meter (Study 2), or reported by the power company (Study 3). The latter two studies controlled for income, which can boost consumption just as it opens possibilities for behaving ecologically. Within and across studies, analyses revealed a negative association between self-reported ecological behavior and electricity consumption (-.18 rs -.22), even with adjustment for income. Furthermore, customers in a green electricity program reported more ecological engagement and consumed one third less electricity than did regular customers. These results indicate the criterion validity of the GEB scale for a highly practically relevant criterion and encourage the use of generic behavior measures in efforts to understand and foster more ecological lifestyles.
引用
收藏
页码:350 / 372
页数:23
相关论文
共 65 条
  • [1] A review of intervention studies aimed at household energy conservation
    Abrahamse, W
    Steg, L
    Vlek, C
    Rothengatter, T
    [J]. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY, 2005, 25 (03) : 273 - 291
  • [2] [Anonymous], 1980, PROBABILISTIC MODELS
  • [3] [Anonymous], 1993, The psychology of attitude
  • [4] Bechtel R. B., 1990, METHODS ENV BEHAV RE, P82
  • [5] Bond T.G., 2007, APPL RASCH MODEL FUN
  • [6] Home, Car Use, and Vacation: The Structure of Environmentally Significant Individual Behavior
    Bratt, Christopher
    Stern, Paul C.
    Matthies, Ellen
    Nenseth, Vibeke
    [J]. ENVIRONMENT AND BEHAVIOR, 2015, 47 (04) : 436 - 473
  • [7] Residential energy use and conservation: Economics and demographics
    Brounen, Dirk
    Kok, Nils
    Quigley, John M.
    [J]. EUROPEAN ECONOMIC REVIEW, 2012, 56 (05) : 931 - 945
  • [8] The correction for attenuation due to measurement error: Clarifying concepts and creating confidence sets
    Charles, EP
    [J]. PSYCHOLOGICAL METHODS, 2005, 10 (02) : 206 - 226
  • [9] Commission of the European Communities, 2008, EN EFF DEL 20 TARG
  • [10] Commoner Barry., 1972, CLOSING CIRCLE NATUR