The Influence of Acculturation on Environmental Concerns: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

This research focused on the effect levels of acculturation on responses to a selected group of environmental issues. A scale of environmental concerns was administered to forest visitors in two southern California forests. Significant differences were observed on four of the eleven issues. Overall mean differences were congruent with the study hypothesis in 9 of the 11 concerns. Level of acculturation, as measured by length of residence in the United States and the arrival age of the individual, accounted for most of the observed variation in environmental concern. The findings suggest that environmental educators and natural resource managers need to look beyond the ethnicity and age of a person and consider the overall level of acculturation in ascertaining individual levels of environmental concern.