Environmental Concern and Environmental Action in Western Europe: Concepts, Measurements, and Implications

Sprinz, D. (1990). Environmental Concern and Environmental Action in Western Europe: Concepts, Measurements, and Implications. IIASA Working Paper. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: WP-90-014

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Abstract

In modeling mass public attitudes towards the environment in Western Europe three hypotheses were tested: (i) Does problem pressure, i.e., the extent of exposure to pollution, or (ii) the emergence of postmaterialist values in advanced industrial societies, or (iii) social class explain the degree of environmental concern and environmental action in Western Europe? The author employed a Linear Structural Relations (or LISREL) model to test the hypotheses with data drawn from Eurobarometer 18. The findings show that, if we want to explain environmental concern, exposure to pollutants is the dominant explanatory variable. They also show, that if we wish to explain environmental action, the impacts of postmaterialism and social class are likely to prevail. Further research comparing results from Eurobarometer 18 data with Eurobarometer 25 data will investigate the intertemporal reliability of the research findings.

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