Academic Major, Environmental Concern, and Arboretum Use

Abstract

This study investigated the relationships between academic major, environmental concern, and the presence of a campus arboretum. Twenty-seven men and 43 women from a small liberal arts college, ages 18-36, completed a series of surveys including the Environmental Preference Questionnaire (EPQ), the Environmental Concern Scale (EC), and the New Ecological Paradigm scale (NEP). As hypothesized, environmental studies majors scored significantly higher on all measures of proenvironmental concern and preferences than did economics majors or students of other academic disciplines. Environmental studies majors were significantly more likely to value and to use the arboretum than were the other groups. Results are discussed in terms of the relationships between education, environmental concern, and behavior.

Keywords:

• academic major
• arboretum
• environmental concern
• environmental education