Egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric environmental concerns: Measurement and structure

Abstract

Measurement issues and structure of environmental concerns (ECs) were assessed in two studies. The findings have theoretical and practical implications for research into ECs, and for applications of the value–belief–norm (extended norm activation) theory. Study 1 compared two different scales used in previous research to measure beliefs about adverse consequences (ACs), or concerns, for egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric-valued objects. A group of participants completed both scales. The ECs scale was shown to be more reliable and to have much clearer dimensionality than the AC Beliefs scale. In Study 2, the structure of ECs was tested, using structural equation modelling. The three-factor structure, of the value–belief–norm theory, fitted the data better than two different two-factor models. It was demonstrated, however, that a four-factor structure, including two separate biospheric concerns of plant and animal, gave the best fit to the data. This structure is discussed in relation to degree of otherness. It was also demonstrated that social–altruistic concerns are more closely allied to egoistic concerns (as human, or anthropocentric, concerns) than they are to biospheric concerns (as general altruistic concerns).