Effects of vicarious experiences of nature, environmental beliefs, and attitudes on adolescents’ environmental behavior

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between vicarious experiences of nature, environmental behavioral beliefs, environmental attitudes and adolescents’ environmental behavior. Based on a sample of 1476 adolescents from five high schools in Jiangsu Province, China, we proposed a model that was supported by structural equation modelling analysis. The model suggests that vicarious experiences of nature are positively associated with adolescents’ environmental behavior. Environmental attitudes and environmental behavioral beliefs play partial mediator roles in the relationship of vicarious experiences of nature and environmental behavior. In addition to the significant direct impact of vicarious experiences of nature on environmental behavior, indirect effects are also achieved through behavioral beliefs, environmental attitudes and the serial multiple mediation effect of the two variables. These research results imply that we must pay attention to the important role of vicarious experiences of nature in cultivating adolescents’ environmental behavior. In addition, the theoretical and practical implications of this research are discussed, as well as the limitations and potential for future research.

Keywords:

• Vicarious experiences of nature
• environmental behavior
• environmental beliefs
• environmental attitudes
• adolescents

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the volunteers, teachers, team members and advisors who helped complete this research. And the authors would like to express their gratitude to EditSprings (https://www.editsprings.cn) for the expert linguistic services provided.

Author contributions

Yuyu Sun devised the original idea for this article and wrote the paper; Xiaoxu Lu designed the theoretical model and collected the data; Jian Cui and Ke Du polished the article. All authors read and approved the final version. Shumin Xie played important roles in paper revision, such as explaining the concept and interpretation of measurement results.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research is one of the achievements of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Humanities and Social Sciences Research Project of the Year 2019 Funding Project ‘Measurement, Development Mechanism and Experimental Research of Key Competences Teaching Intention of Middle School Teachers’ (approval number: 19YJA880042).