Factors predicting proclivity and intensity to volunteer for the environment in the US and South Korea

Abstract

This research compares environmental volunteering among students in South Korea and the US (n = 3612). Given differing environmental histories of these countries, we explore whether and to what extent volunteer proclivity and intensity varies, and potential factors that explain existing variation. Findings suggest that American students are more likely to volunteer for, and devote time to, environmental causes, while South Korean students differ on socio-economic correlates of such behaviour. In a global society, understanding determinants of environmental volunteer participation is critical to the management of environmental NGOs that are involved in broad-based and participatory planning, educating stakeholders and legitimising environmental advocacy.

Keywords:

• volunteering
• pro-environmental behaviours
• cross national
• environmental knowledge

Acknowledgements

We would like to gratefully acknowledge the research support received the GAPSA – Provost Award and the James Joo – Jin Kim Program in Korean Studies at from the University of Pennsylvania and KyungHee University.

Notes

1. In the US sample, 45 students did not indicate a gender. In the South Korean sample, 12 students did not indicate a gender.

2. The index includes six questions on household waste, water pollution, electricity generation, ozone layer, air pollution and animal extinction.

3. Prior to regression analyses, we examined bivariate correlations between each of the key study variables in order to check for problems relating to multicollinearity (results available upon request).