University of Twente Student Theses
Investigating the Impact of Climate Change Hope on Pro-Environmental Behaviour among UT Students
Zühlsdorff, N.M. (2023) Investigating the Impact of Climate Change Hope on Pro-Environmental Behaviour among UT Students.
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| Abstract: | This study aimed to examine the impact of Climate Change Hope on Pro-Environmental Behaviour among students enrolled at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. Additionally, the study investigated the antecedents of Climate Change Hope, including Climate Change Perception, Self-Efficacy beliefs, and Trust in Policymaking. Thereby, it is also tested how these factors affect students’ hope and their involvement in climate change mitigation behaviours. A total of 83 participants completed a self-developed online questionnaire that measures their level of hope, Self-Efficacy beliefs, Climate Change Perception and Trust in Policymaking regarding climate change, and assessed the frequency of their engagement in Pro-Environmental Behaviours. The results of the factor analysis revealed that both variables Pro-Environmental Behaviour and Trust in Policymaking are multidimensional, consisting of three subconstructs each. The following analyses were conducted with the whole scale of Pro-Environmental Behaviour and the subconstructs Community Actions, Individual Actions and Sustainable Transport Actions. Additionally, the whole scale for Trust in Policymaking was used as well as the subconstructs of Government Integrity, Government Competence and Government Efficacy. The findings indicate relatively low levels of Climate Change Hope among university students. However, contrary to previous research, there was no significant impact of Climate Change Hope on any subconstructs or the whole scale of Pro-Environmental Behaviour. Nevertheless, this study shows that Climate Change Hope serves as a mediator between students’ level of trust in the Government’s Integrity and the Pro-Environmental Behaviour of engaging in Sustainable Transport Actions. Therefore, the effect of trust in the Government's Integrity on Pro-Environmental Behaviour is influenced by Climate Change Hope. Even though, due to several limitations, the results need to be interpreted with caution, the findings suggest that further examining Climate Change Hope and Trust in Policymaking among students is crucial in understanding factors that influence their engagement in Pro-Environmental Behaviour. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/95253 |
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