| Abstract [eng] |
Environmental problems are closely linked to health problems, so the promotion of environmental protection could be understood as the prevention of health problems. Environmental problems are caused by human behaviour and the sollution of these problems requires human behaviour change. Psychology, as a science of human behaviour, plays important role in environmental problems solving. This work is analysis of conservation behaviour and attitudinal factors influencing conservation behaviour in the conceptual framework of socio-altruistic Value-Belief-Norm model (Stern et al., 1999) and applying the Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein, Ajzen, 1975). According to the classical tripartite conceptualization, attitudes consist of cognitive, affective and conative dimensions. The Value-Belief-Norm model represents only cognitive component of attitude, so the model was extended including affective and conative components of attitude. First of all, this study describes and analizes conservation behaviour and attitudinal factors influencing conservation behaviour of 157 students of Vilnius University. The study shows that students are engaged in conservation behaviour and are fairly emotional about environmental issues. The CFA analysis supports the three-factor structure of environmental concern. Biospheric, egoistic and altruistic concerns can be distiguished. The study shows that egoistic concern for environment is predominant in Lithuania, so environmental concern in Lithuania resembles situation in Russia but is diferent from situation in other countries. Because concern for environment progressivily grows from egoistic to biospheric, situation in Lithuania shows the need for intervention in accordance to situation. Conservation behaviour is positively correlated to ascribed responsibility, personal norms, affective and conative components of attitude, environmental concern. Regression analysis gives confirmation to Value-Belief-Norm model and shows that attitudinal factors explains 25,5 % variance of conservation behaviour. Biospheric concern is the best predictor of conservation behaviour. Nowadays advertising is often used to promote environment protection. Advertising is important contextual factor influencing conservation behaviour. The other purpose of this study – investigate the influence of advertising on attitudinal factors influencing conservation behaviour. 80 students of Vilnius University participated in the experiment. Independent variable – advertising – was represented as 72 printed examples of advertisments promoting environment protection. Perceived effectiveness of advertisements was estimated on a 1-10 scale – the average rating was 7,90. The results of the investigation corroborate the hypothesis that advertising influences attitudinal factors (emotional engagement in environmental problems, biospheric concern for environment, attitude to conservation behaviour). Attitude has changed significally after intervention. The present study provides experimental support for the benefits of advertising promoting environment protection, so advertising could be used as a part of programmes promoting environment protection. |
