Environmental Identity Dynamics Across A Spectrum of Environmental Learning Programs: A Study of Educational Contexts and Outcomes
Open Access
- Author:
- Mateer, Timothy
- Graduate Program:
- Recreation, Park and Tourism Management
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- March 17, 2023
- Committee Members:
- Peter Newman, Program Head/Chair
Brendan Taff, Co-Chair & Dissertation Advisor
Kathryn Brasier, Outside Unit & Field Member
Danielle Lawson, Co-Chair & Dissertation Advisor
Jen Agans, Major Field Member - Keywords:
- environmental identity
environmental education
conservation social psychology
pro-environmental behavior
outdoor recreation - Abstract:
- Environmental identity development has been linked to an array of potentially beneficial outcomes for individuals. Ranging from higher rates of participation in environmental activism, greater levels of nature connectedness, and higher levels of self-reported psychological well-being, encouraging environmental identity development in environmental education programming may represent an underutilized social psychological mechanism to promote desired outcomes. If environmental education programs are able to more effectively understand what programmatic elements influence individuals’ environmental identities and what outcomes this development is related to, more impactful educational experiences may be designed. This dissertation intentionally examines three different environmental education programs, ranging from shorter informational campaigns to intensive multi-month career development programs. A primary goal is to elucidate commonalities and divergences across these contexts. In exploring these dynamics across different program, educational theory and practice can more effectively be advanced in environmental learning settings. The first study, conducted in partnership with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, merged the recreation specialization and behavioral spillover theoretical frameworks to examine pro-environmental behavior outcomes. Through a structural equation modeling approach, study results suggest that specialization in environmentally responsible outdoor recreation (as promoted by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics) had a significant relationship with private pro-environmental behaviors that partially flowed through individuals’ environmental identities. For public pro-environmental behaviors, specialization in environmentally responsible outdoor recreation had a direct, significant relationship with self-reported behaviors. The second study, conducted in partnership with Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center’s Outdoor School, utilized a quasi-experimental design to examine behavioral spillover processes resulting from participation in an environmental leadership program. Results suggest that participation in the environmental leadership program did significantly increase behavioral intentions regarding private and public pro-environmental behaviors that are unrelated to programmatic content. Regression analyses suggest that, similar to the first study, program participation was related to private pro-environmental behavior intentions through a psychological mechanism that was fully mediated by environmental identity. Public pro-environmental behavior intentions had a significant, direct relationship with programmatic participation. Comparing pre- and post-program models though suggests that increased pro-environmental behavior intentions for both public and private spheres flowed through increases in environmental identity. The third study, conducted in partnership with the Urban Ecology Center, utilized an interpretivist approach to explore learning mechanisms that promoted environmental identity development through a high school environmental career pathway program. Results suggest that meaningful social relationships, disruption of the traditional employment narrative, and growth in outward facing confidence all contribute to the development of an “activated” environmental identity. An activated environmental identity empowers individuals to act on their relationship with the natural world in the public sphere. Taken collectively, these three complementary studies provide insight on how environmental education experiences may promote environmental identity development. Subsequently, outcomes associated with this environmental identity development were also explored. These studies suggest that environmental identity development may support both private and public pro-environmental behaviors. Furthermore, supportive, community-based education may be a way to support this environmental identity development.