1. Understanding Climate Change Behaviors using a Modified Theory of Planned Behavior
Caitlin K. Kirby
Dr. Julie C. Libarkin

2. Science Education and Action
One goal of science education is to allow students to use their scientific understanding to act on socio-scientific issues such as climate change; but linking science and social issues is rarely practiced in the classroom, leaving students to make these connections for themselves. Whether or not students want to act to mitigate climate change is a personal decision, not one for universities to make – BUT most Americans support actions to mitigate climate change policies such as regulating CO2, eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, and increasing our % renewables. Especially young people, 18-29, with 75% of them giving priority to renewables over fossil fuels (PEW) Are we providing avenues and knowledge for students who understand and are concerned about climate change to take action?

3. Research Question
Which determinants of a modified Theory of Planned behavior are most important in predicting pro-environmental behavioral intentions in undergraduates?
Will answer research question with survey; future work/goal

4. Survey Development Four environmental behaviors Recycle
Write a letter to a government official about an environmental issue
Vote for a candidate who will fight climate change
Donate to an environmental organization

5. Survey Development Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991)
Attitude: I think recycling is important
Attitudes
Subjective Norms
Behavioral Intentions
Perceived Behavioral Control
Behavior
First, need to understand how people decide to take action.

6. Survey Development Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991)
Subjective norms: People who are important to me expect me to recycle.
Attitudes
Subjective Norms
Behavioral Intentions
Perceived Behavioral Control
Behavior

7. Survey Development Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991)
PBC: If I wanted, I could recycle during the next 6 months.
Attitudes
Subjective Norms
Behavioral Intentions
Perceived Behavioral Control
Behavior

8. Survey Development Values-Beliefs-Norms (Stern et al. 1999)
Biospheric values: Respecting the Earth: Harmony with other species
Biospheric Values
Egoistic Values
Personal Norms
Ecological Worldview
Behavior
Personal norms require awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility

9. Survey Development Values-Beliefs-Norms (Stern et al. 1999)
Egoistic values: Wealth: Material possessions, money
Biospheric Values
Egoistic Values
Personal Norms
Ecological Worldview
Behavior
Personal norms require awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility

10. Survey Development Values-Beliefs-Norms (Stern et al. 1999)
Personal norms: I feel a strong moral obligation to recycle.
Biospheric Values
Egoistic Values
Personal Norms
Ecological Worldview
Behavior
Personal norms require awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility

11. Behavioral Intentions
Survey Development
Knowledge of Climate Change
1. How has the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere changed since the start of the Industrial Revolution 150 years ago?
A. The amount of carbon dioxide has remained the same.
B. The amount of carbon dioxide has decreased.
C. The amount of carbon dioxide has increased.
D. I do not know. ?
Knowledge
Behavioral Intentions

12. Behavioral Intentions
Attitudes
Biospheric Values
Subjective Norms
Egoistic Values
Behavioral Intentions
Personal Norms
Perceived Behavioral Control
Knowledge

13. Survey Dissemination
Undergraduate students in general education science labs
Fall 2016-Spring 2017
n=132

14. Students’ Behavioral Intentions

15. Students’ Behavioral Intentions
Recycle and vote – mostly intend to do so. Write and donate – “political” level behaviors, more investment – not as much.

16. Climate Change Knowledge
Average: 47%

17. Structural Equation Modeling
Perceived Behavioral Control
Biospheric Values
Egoistic Values
Attitudes
Subjective Norms
Personal Norms
Knowledge
Behavioral Intentions

18. Structural Equation Modeling
Perceived Behavioral Control
Biospheric Values
Egoistic Values
Attitudes
Subjective Norms
Personal Norms
Knowledge
Behavioral Intentions
0.50**
* p<0.05
** p<0.001
0.38**
0.30**
0.47**
0.45**
Attitudes determined by values, but don’t seem to determine behavior.
0.12*

19. Resulting Behavior Model
* p<0.05
** p<0.001
Perceived Behavioral Control
Biospheric Values
Subjective Norms
Personal Norms
Behavioral Intentions
0.38**
0.30**
0.47**
0.45**
0.12*

20. Highlighting Norms Group work around climate behaviors
Increased subjective norms
Activating personal norms
Consequences and responsibility
Target subjective and personal norms
Group work (Eri Aoki, University of Tokyo) Subjective norms: Discussing things you have in common with people, what you think they expect of you. (Ybarra)
What sorts of classroom explorations impact personal norms or feelings of responsibility?
Awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility: for example, earth footprint online exercise.

21. Conclusions Norms inform public sphere environmental behavior
Knowledge does not impact these behaviors
Students need opportunities to explore values, norms, and behaviors around socioscientific issues

22. Acknowledgements and Contact
This work was funded by Michigan State University’s Office of Sustainability Be Spartan Green Grant. Any Opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Office of Sustainability.
@kirbycai

23. Behavior Model for Recycling
Perceived Behavioral Control
Subjective Norms
Recycling Behavioral Intentions
* p<0.05
** p<0.001
0.26*
0.41**
Requires structural components in place
Individual level behavior
Quantitative values are shown but this is a preliminary analysis, based on the theoretical idea that recycling is different than these other behaviors. Often referred to as an individual behavior, and also requires structures in place for recycling to occur

24. Survey Development Seven Independent Variables
Dependent Variable: Behavioral Intentions
Attitude: I think recycling is important
Subjective Norm: People who are important to me expect me to recycle.
Personal Norm: I feel a strong moral obligation to recycle.
Perceived Behavioral Control: If I wanted, I could recycle during the next 6 months.
Biospheric Values: Respecting the Earth: Harmony with other species
Egoistic Values: Wealth: Material possessions, money
Recycle
Write a letter to a government official about an environmental issue
Vote for a candidate who will fight climate change
Donate to an environmental organization
Climate Change Understanding: 5 knowledge questions
I intend to, always or in most instances, recycle in the next 6 months.

25. Subjective Norm: Recycle 0.684 Subjective Norm: Write 0.814
Item
Factor Loadings
Attitude: Recycle
0.747
Attitude: Write
0.753
Attitude: Donate
0.635
Attitude: Vote
0.733
PBC: Recycle
0.433
PBC: Write
0.68
PBC: Donate
0.641
PBC: Vote
0.651
Subjective Norm: Recycle
0.684
Subjective Norm: Write
0.814
Subjective Norm: Donate
0.776
Subjective Norm: Vote
0.783
Behavioral Intention: Recycle
0.388
Behavioral Intention: Write
0.824
Behavioral Intention: Donate
0.754
Behavioral Intention: Vote
0.419
Personal Norm: Recycle
0.604
Personal Norm: Write
0.822
Personal Norm: Donate
0.777
Personal Norm: Vote
0.637
Cronbach's Alpha
0.796
0.691
0.849
0.7
0.806
Table with factor loadings

26. Climate Change Knowledge Questions
1. How has the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere changed since the start of the Industrial Revolution 150 years ago? A. The amount of carbon dioxide has remained the same. B. The amount of carbon dioxide has decreased. C. The amount of carbon dioxide has increased. D. I do not know. 2. Which of the following best describes how plants take in carbon dioxide? A. Plants take in carbon dioxide from rain. B. Plants take in carbon dioxide from sunlight. C. Plants take in carbon dioxide from air. D. Plants take in carbon dioxide from soil. E. I do not know.
What are the five questions

27. Climate Change Knowledge Questions
3. Which is the most common form of radiation given off by Earth's surface? A. The Earth’s surface mostly gives off visible radiation. B. The Earth’s surface mostly gives off infrared radiation. C. The Earth’s surface mostly gives off ultraviolet radiation. D. Earth’s surface does not give off radiation. E. I do not know. 4. Which is the best definition of a positive feedback loop in the climate system? A. A change in the climate system leads to a response that benefits climate change. B. A change in the climate system leads to a response that slows down climate change. C. A change in the climate system leads to a response that speeds up climate change. D. A change in the climate system leads to a response that harms climate change.

28. Climate Change Knowledge Questions
5. Averaged over long time periods, how does the amount of energy arriving from space compare to the amount of energy leaving Earth? A. The amount of energy arriving from space is greater than the amount of energy leaving Earth. B. The amount of energy arriving from space is less than the amount of energy leaving Earth. C. The amount of energy arriving from space is roughly equal to the amount of energy leaving Earth. D. I do not know.