Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Commitment to the environment and student support for “green” campus initiatives

  • Published:
Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Past research has demonstrated that commitment to the environment strongly predicts global pro-environmental intentions. This research is the first to examine whether the commitment to the environment model predicts college students’ endorsement of institutional-level changes that may be proposed by university or college administration. Participants were 96 college men and 142 college women who completed questionnaires designed to assess commitment to the environment constructs, willingness to sacrifice for the environment, and support for a series of campus conservation initiatives. A path analysis revealed that the commitment model predicted college students’ endorsement of hypothetical “green” campus initiatives. Specifically, commitment to the environment mediated the paths from satisfaction and investments to hypothetical green campus initiatives. Results suggest that endorsement of green campus initiatives may be better received on campuses by students who recognize their interdependence with the environment, characterized by high commitment to the natural environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. acupcc.org.

  2. Only satisfaction with the environment significantly differed between the samples. However, basic ANCOVAs indicate that there was no significant interaction between the sample and satisfaction with the environment for willingness to sacrifice, p = 0.48, or hypothetical campus initiatives, p = 0.33.

  3. These scales are short versions of the scales that were later published by Davis et al. (2011).

  4. No significant differences were found when models were analyzed separately for each university and compared.

  5. Confidence intervals reported were calculated using a bootstrapping analysis with 2,500 iterations.

References

  • Arriaga XB, Agnew CR (2001) Being committed: affective, cognitive, and conative components of relationship commitment. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 27:1190–1203. doi:10.1177/0146167201279011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen C-J, Gregoire MB, Arendt S, Shelley MC (2011) College and university dining services administrators’ intention to adopt sustainable practices: results from US institutions. Int J Sustain High Educ 12:145–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark C et al (2011) College and university environmental programs as a policy problem (part 1): integrating knowledge, education, and action for a better world? Environ Manag 47:701–715

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clayton S (2003) Environmental identity: a conceptual and operational definition. In: Clayton S, Opotow S (eds) Identity and the natural environment. MIT press, Cambridge, MA, pp 45–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunlap RE, Van Liere KD, Mertig AG, Jones RE (2000) Measuring endorsement of the new ecological paradigm: a revised NEP scale. J Soc Issues 56:425–442. doi:10.1111/0022-4537.00176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis JL, Green JD, Reed A (2009) Interdependence with the environment: commitment interconnectedness and environmental behavior. J Environ Psychol 29:173–180. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2008.11.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis JL, Le B, Coy AE (2011) Building a model of commitment to the natural environment to predict ecological behavior and willingness to sacrifice. J Environ Psychol 31:257–265. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2011.01.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emanuel R, Adams JN (2011) College students’ perceptions of campus sustainability. Int J Sustain High Educ 12:79–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Etcheverry PE, Le B (2005) Thinking about commitment: accessibility of commitment and prediction of relationship persistence, accommodation, and willingness to sacrifice. Pers Relatsh 12:103–123. doi:10.1111/j.1350-4126.2005.00104.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelley HH, Thibaut J (1978) Interpersonal relations: a theory of interdependence. Wiley, New York, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Le B, Agnew CR (2003) Commitment and its theorized determinants: a meta-analysis of the investment model. Pers Relatsh 10:37–57. doi:10.1111/1475-6811.00035

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le B, Korn MS, Crockett EE, Loving TJ (2011) Missing you maintains us: missing a romantic partner, commitment, relationship maintenance, and physical infidelity. J Soc Pers Relatsh 28:653–667. doi:10.1177/0265407510384898

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee EB (2008) Environmental attitudes and information sources among African American college students. J Envrion Educ 40:29–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lopez A, Torres CC, Boyd B, Silvy NJ, Lopez RR (2007) Texas latino college students attitudes toward natural resources and the environment. J Wildl Manag 71:1275–1280. doi:10.2193/2006-480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muthén LK, Muthén BO (2009) Mplus (version 6) [computer software]. Los Angeles, CA, Muthén & Muthén

    Google Scholar 

  • Rusbult CE (1980) Commitment and satisfaction in romantic associations: a test of the investment model. J Exp Soc Psychol 16:172–186. doi:10.1016/0022-1031(80)90007-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rusbult CE, Martz J, Agnew C (1998) The investment model scale: measuring commitment level, satisfaction level, quality of alternatives, and investment size. Pers Relatsh 5:357–391. doi:10.1111/j.1475-6811.1998.tb00177.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rusbult CE, Olson N, Davis JL, Hannon MA (2001) Commitment and relationship maintenance mechanisms. In: Harvey JH, Wenzel A (eds) Close relationships: maintenance and enhancement. Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ, pp 87–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan RM, Weinstein N, Bernstein J, Brown KW, Mastella L, Gagne M (2010) Vitalizing effects of being outdoors and in nature. J Environ al Psychol 30:159–168. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2009.10.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shriberg M, Harris K (2012) Building sustainability change management and leadership skills in students: Lessons learned from “Sustainability and the Campus” at the University of Michigan. J Environ Stud Sci. doi:10.1007/s13412-012-0073-0

  • Thapa B (1999) Environmentalism: the relation of environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behaviors among undergraduate students. Bull Sci Technol Soc 19:426–438. doi:10.1177/027046769901900512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Lange PAM, Agnew CR, Harinck F, Steemers GEM (1997) From game theory to real life: how social value orientation affects willingness to sacrifice in ongoing close relationships. J Pers Soc Psychol 73:1330–1344. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.73.6.1330

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Anthony E. Coy & Jody L. Davis

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Allison K. Farrell & Katharine P. Gilson

  3. Department of Psychology, Haverford College, Haverford, PA, USA

    Benjamin Le

Authors
  1. Anthony E. Coy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Allison K. Farrell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Katharine P. Gilson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jody L. Davis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Benjamin Le
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anthony E. Coy.

Appendix

Appendix

Hypothetical campus initiatives

To what extent does each statement describe your current attitudes? Please use the following scale to record your answers.

figure a
  1. 1.

    The (college/university) is considering shortening the weekday hours at the (gym), such that they open at 9 in the morning (rather than 7) and close at 9 at night (rather than 10), to save energy required to heat and power the building.

  2. 2.

    The (college/university) plans on buying bio-fuel for the campus (i.e., for heating etc.), which costs 10 % more, and this cost will be passed on as a tuition increase of $50 a year per student.

  3. 3.

    The (college/university) proposes changing all light bulbs in classrooms and offices to high efficiency bulbs. However, paying for all of these bulbs will add an additional $20 to your tuition.

  4. 4.

    The (dining centers) are considering getting rid of trays, because a significant amount of water is wasted in washing them.

  5. 5.

    The (housing office) is considering putting timers on the showers in the dorms and apartments to encourage students to take shorter showers.

  6. 6.

    The (housing office) is planning on installing electric meters in each dorm room and apartment and charging students for their actual electric consumption in their residences.

  7. 7.

    The administration is considering implementing a "pay-per-print" policy in computer labs such that students would have to pay 5-cents per page for printing, to encourage responsible paper use.

  8. 8.

    The administration proposes turning down heaters in the classrooms by 3 degrees during the winter to save energy.

  9. 9.

    The administration wants to install a new plumbing system in the (dorms/resident halls) that will help conserve water; however, this will involve construction work in and around the (dorms/resident halls) for two weeks during the academic year.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Coy, A.E., Farrell, A.K., Gilson, K.P. et al. Commitment to the environment and student support for “green” campus initiatives. J Environ Stud Sci 3, 49–55 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-012-0100-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-012-0100-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation