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The Relationship between Environmental Moral Reasoning and Environmental Attitudes of Pre-Service Science Teachers

Year 2011, Volume: 1 Issue: 3, 167 - 178, 06.06.2011

Busra Tuncay Ozgul Yılmaz-tuzun Gaye Tuncer-teksoz

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between environmental moral reasoning patterns and environmental attitudes of 120 pre-service science teachers. Content analysis was carried out on participants’ written statements regarding their concerns about the presented environmental problems and the statements were labeled as ecocentric, anthropocentric, and non-environmental according to their meanings. Then, descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted on the calculated frequencies of each moral consideration category and participants’ responses to Environmental Attitudes Scale. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between ecocentric moral reasoning and environmental attitudes, whereas there was not a statistically significant relationship between neither of anthropocentric nor non-environmental moral reasoning and environmental attitudes. Findings of the study support the argument that an environmental ethic, which extends moral consideration beyond human beings to the nature as a whole, is necessary to overcome many of the environmental problems.

Keywords

environmental moral reasoning;environmental attitudes;teacher education.

References

  • Berenguer, J. (2008). The effect of empathy in environmental moral reasoning. Environment and Behavior, 42(1), 110-134.
  • Bjerke, T. & Kaltenborn B.P. (1999). The relationship of ecocentric and anthropocentric motives to attitudes toward large carnivores. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 19, 415-421.
  • Culen, G. R. (2001). The status of environmental education with respect to the goals of responsible citizenship behavior. In H. R. Hungerford, W. J. Bluhm, T.L. Volk & J. M. Ramsey (Eds.), Essential Readings in Environmental Education (pp. 37-45). Stipes, IL.
  • Dunlap, R. E., & Van Liere, K. D. (1978). A proposed measuring instrument and preliminary results: The ‘new environmental paradigm’. Journal of Environmental Education, 9, 10-19.
  • Ebenbach, D. H. (1999). Behind beliefs and controversies: The relationship between motivation and the expression of pro-environmental attitudes. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
  • Ebenbach, D. H., Moore, C. F., & Parsil, S. A. (1998). Internally and externally motivated environmental attitudes. Paper presented at the annual convention of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
  • Evans, G. W., Brauchle, G., Haq, A., Stecker, R., Wong, K., & Shapiro, E. (2007). Young children's environmental attitudes and behaviors. Environment and Behavior, 39(5), 635-659.
  • Franson, N., & Garling T. (1999). Environmental concern: Conceptual definitions, measurement methods, and research findings. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 19, 369-382.
  • Gardner, G. T., & Stern, P. C. (1996). Environmental problems and human behavior. Boston: Ally and Bacon.
  • Gore, A. (1992). Earth in the balance. New York: Plume Books.
  • Kahn, P. H., Jr. (1997). Children’s moral and ecological reasoning about the Prince William Sound oil spill. Developmental Psychology, 33(6), 10911096.
  • Kahn, P. H., Jr. (1999). The human relationship with nature. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
  • Kahn, P. H., Jr., & Lourenco, O. (2002). Water, air, fire, and earth: A developmental study in Portugal of environmental moral reasoning. Environment and Behavior, 34, 405-430.
  • Kaiser, F. G., Wölfing, S., & Führer, U. (1999). Environmental attitude and ecological behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 19, 1-19.
  • Karpiak, C. P., & Baril, G. L. (2008). Moral reasoning and concern for the environment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 28(3), 203-208.
  • Kortenkamp, K. V., & Moore, C. F. (2001). Ecocentrism and anthropocentrism: Moral reasoning about ecological commons dilemmas. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 21, 261-272.
  • Littledyke, M. (2004). Primary children’s views on science and environmental issues: Examples of environmental cognitive and moral development. Environmental Education Research, 10(2), 217-235.
  • Madsen, P. (1996). What can universities and professional schools do to save the environment In J. B. Callicott, F. J. R. da Rocha (Eds.), Earth summit ethics: Toward a reconstructive postmodern philosophy of environmental education (pp.71-91). New York: State University of New York Press.
  • Maloney, M. P., & Ward, M. P. (1973). Let’s hear from the people: An objective scale for the measurement of ecological attitudes and knowledge. American Psychologist, 28, 583-586.
  • O’Neill, J., Holland, A., & Light, A. (2008). Environmental values. London; New York: Routledge.
  • Ramsey, C. E., Rickson, R. E. (1976). Environmental knowledge and attitudes. Journal of Environmental Education, 8, 10-18.
  • Schultz, P. W. (2000). Empathizing with nature: The effects of perspective taking on concern for environmental issues. Journal of Social Issues, 56, 391-406.
  • Sosa, N. M. (1996). The ethics of dialogue and the environment: Solidarity as a foundation for environmental ethics. In J.B. Callicott, F.J.R. da Rocha (Eds.), Earth summit ethics: Toward a reconstructive postmodern philosophy of environmental education (pp.47-70). New York: State University of New York Press.
  • Stern, P. C., & Dietz, T. (1994). The value basis of environmental concern. Journal of Social Issues, 50, 65-84.
  • Thompson, S. C. G., & Barton, M. A. (1994). Ecocentric and anthropocentric attitudes toward the environment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 14, 149-157.
  • Tilbury, D. (1995). Environmental education for sustainability: Defining the new focus of environmental education in the 1990s. Environmental Education Research, 1(2), 195-212.
  • UNESCO/UNEP (1978). The Tbilisi Declaration. Connect, 3(1), 1-8.
  • WCED (1987). Our common future. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Yeung, S. P. (2002). Teaching approaches and the development of responsible environmental behavior: The case of Hong Kong. Ethics, Place and Environment, 5(3), 239-269.

Year 2011, Volume: 1 Issue: 3, 167 - 178, 06.06.2011

Busra Tuncay Ozgul Yılmaz-tuzun Gaye Tuncer-teksoz

Abstract

References

  • Berenguer, J. (2008). The effect of empathy in environmental moral reasoning. Environment and Behavior, 42(1), 110-134.
  • Bjerke, T. & Kaltenborn B.P. (1999). The relationship of ecocentric and anthropocentric motives to attitudes toward large carnivores. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 19, 415-421.
  • Culen, G. R. (2001). The status of environmental education with respect to the goals of responsible citizenship behavior. In H. R. Hungerford, W. J. Bluhm, T.L. Volk & J. M. Ramsey (Eds.), Essential Readings in Environmental Education (pp. 37-45). Stipes, IL.
  • Dunlap, R. E., & Van Liere, K. D. (1978). A proposed measuring instrument and preliminary results: The ‘new environmental paradigm’. Journal of Environmental Education, 9, 10-19.
  • Ebenbach, D. H. (1999). Behind beliefs and controversies: The relationship between motivation and the expression of pro-environmental attitudes. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
  • Ebenbach, D. H., Moore, C. F., & Parsil, S. A. (1998). Internally and externally motivated environmental attitudes. Paper presented at the annual convention of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
  • Evans, G. W., Brauchle, G., Haq, A., Stecker, R., Wong, K., & Shapiro, E. (2007). Young children's environmental attitudes and behaviors. Environment and Behavior, 39(5), 635-659.
  • Franson, N., & Garling T. (1999). Environmental concern: Conceptual definitions, measurement methods, and research findings. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 19, 369-382.
  • Gardner, G. T., & Stern, P. C. (1996). Environmental problems and human behavior. Boston: Ally and Bacon.
  • Gore, A. (1992). Earth in the balance. New York: Plume Books.
  • Kahn, P. H., Jr. (1997). Children’s moral and ecological reasoning about the Prince William Sound oil spill. Developmental Psychology, 33(6), 10911096.
  • Kahn, P. H., Jr. (1999). The human relationship with nature. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
  • Kahn, P. H., Jr., & Lourenco, O. (2002). Water, air, fire, and earth: A developmental study in Portugal of environmental moral reasoning. Environment and Behavior, 34, 405-430.
  • Kaiser, F. G., Wölfing, S., & Führer, U. (1999). Environmental attitude and ecological behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 19, 1-19.
  • Karpiak, C. P., & Baril, G. L. (2008). Moral reasoning and concern for the environment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 28(3), 203-208.
  • Kortenkamp, K. V., & Moore, C. F. (2001). Ecocentrism and anthropocentrism: Moral reasoning about ecological commons dilemmas. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 21, 261-272.
  • Littledyke, M. (2004). Primary children’s views on science and environmental issues: Examples of environmental cognitive and moral development. Environmental Education Research, 10(2), 217-235.
  • Madsen, P. (1996). What can universities and professional schools do to save the environment In J. B. Callicott, F. J. R. da Rocha (Eds.), Earth summit ethics: Toward a reconstructive postmodern philosophy of environmental education (pp.71-91). New York: State University of New York Press.
  • Maloney, M. P., & Ward, M. P. (1973). Let’s hear from the people: An objective scale for the measurement of ecological attitudes and knowledge. American Psychologist, 28, 583-586.
  • O’Neill, J., Holland, A., & Light, A. (2008). Environmental values. London; New York: Routledge.
  • Ramsey, C. E., Rickson, R. E. (1976). Environmental knowledge and attitudes. Journal of Environmental Education, 8, 10-18.
  • Schultz, P. W. (2000). Empathizing with nature: The effects of perspective taking on concern for environmental issues. Journal of Social Issues, 56, 391-406.
  • Sosa, N. M. (1996). The ethics of dialogue and the environment: Solidarity as a foundation for environmental ethics. In J.B. Callicott, F.J.R. da Rocha (Eds.), Earth summit ethics: Toward a reconstructive postmodern philosophy of environmental education (pp.47-70). New York: State University of New York Press.
  • Stern, P. C., & Dietz, T. (1994). The value basis of environmental concern. Journal of Social Issues, 50, 65-84.
  • Thompson, S. C. G., & Barton, M. A. (1994). Ecocentric and anthropocentric attitudes toward the environment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 14, 149-157.
  • Tilbury, D. (1995). Environmental education for sustainability: Defining the new focus of environmental education in the 1990s. Environmental Education Research, 1(2), 195-212.
  • UNESCO/UNEP (1978). The Tbilisi Declaration. Connect, 3(1), 1-8.
  • WCED (1987). Our common future. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Yeung, S. P. (2002). Teaching approaches and the development of responsible environmental behavior: The case of Hong Kong. Ethics, Place and Environment, 5(3), 239-269.
There are 29 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Research Papers
Authors

Busra Tuncay

Ozgul Yılmaz-tuzun

Gaye Tuncer-teksoz

Publication Date June 6, 2011
Published in Issue Year 2011 Volume: 1 Issue: 3

Cite

APA Tuncay, B., Yılmaz-tuzun, O., & Tuncer-teksoz, G. (2011). The Relationship between Environmental Moral Reasoning and Environmental Attitudes of Pre-Service Science Teachers. International Electronic Journal of Environmental Education, 1(3), 167-178.
AMA Tuncay B, Yılmaz-tuzun O, Tuncer-teksoz G. The Relationship between Environmental Moral Reasoning and Environmental Attitudes of Pre-Service Science Teachers. IEJEE-Green. June 2011;1(3):167-178.
Chicago Tuncay, Busra, Ozgul Yılmaz-tuzun, and Gaye Tuncer-teksoz. “The Relationship Between Environmental Moral Reasoning and Environmental Attitudes of Pre-Service Science Teachers”. International Electronic Journal of Environmental Education 1, no. 3 (June 2011): 167-78.
EndNote Tuncay B, Yılmaz-tuzun O, Tuncer-teksoz G (June 1, 2011) The Relationship between Environmental Moral Reasoning and Environmental Attitudes of Pre-Service Science Teachers. International Electronic Journal of Environmental Education 1 3 167–178.
IEEE B. Tuncay, O. Yılmaz-tuzun, and G. Tuncer-teksoz, “The Relationship between Environmental Moral Reasoning and Environmental Attitudes of Pre-Service Science Teachers”, IEJEE-Green, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 167–178, 2011.
ISNAD Tuncay, Busra et al. “The Relationship Between Environmental Moral Reasoning and Environmental Attitudes of Pre-Service Science Teachers”. International Electronic Journal of Environmental Education 1/3 (June 2011), 167-178.
JAMA Tuncay B, Yılmaz-tuzun O, Tuncer-teksoz G. The Relationship between Environmental Moral Reasoning and Environmental Attitudes of Pre-Service Science Teachers. IEJEE-Green. 2011;1:167–178.
MLA Tuncay, Busra et al. “The Relationship Between Environmental Moral Reasoning and Environmental Attitudes of Pre-Service Science Teachers”. International Electronic Journal of Environmental Education, vol. 1, no. 3, 2011, pp. 167-78.
Vancouver Tuncay B, Yılmaz-tuzun O, Tuncer-teksoz G. The Relationship between Environmental Moral Reasoning and Environmental Attitudes of Pre-Service Science Teachers. IEJEE-Green. 2011;1(3):167-78.
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