2007 Summaries of Wildlife Research Findings - Minnesota State ...

Section 5: Environmental Values
Environmental Values
Survey recipients completed 15 items that measure the new ecological paradigm (Dunlap et al., 2000)
(Tables 5-1 to 5-15). More than half of the respondents agreed that: (a) when humans interfere with nature
it often produces disastrous consequences ( x =3.5) (Table 5-2), (b) humans are severely abusing the
environment ( x =3.4) (Table 5-4), (c) the earth has plenty of natural resources if we just learn how to
develop them ( x =3.4) (Table 5-5), (d) plants and animals have as much right as humans to exist ( x =3.4)
(Table 5-6), (e) despite our special abilities humans are still subject to the laws of nature ( x =4.1) (Table
5-8), (f) the earth is like a spaceship with very limited room and resources ( x =3.4) (Table 5-10), and (g)
the balance of nature is very delicate and easily upset ( x =3.7) (Table 5-12). More than half of the
respondents disagreed that: (a) humans have the right to modify the natural environment to suit their
needs ( x =2.5) (Table 5-1), (b) the balance of nature is strong enough to cope with the impacts of modern
industrial nations ( x =2.3) (Table 5-7), and (c) humans will eventually learn enough about how nature
works to be able to control it ( x =2.4) (Table 5-13).
Consequences of Environmental Problems
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Respondents were asked to respond to nine items to indicate why they were concerned about
environmental problems (Tables 5-16 to 5-24). Respondents were most concerned about environmental
problems because of consequences for children ( x =6.0) (Table 5-20), future generations ( x =6.0) (Table
5-22), and nature ( x =5.7) (Table 5-24). They were least concerned about consequences for: (a)
themselves ( x =5.1) (Table 5-16), their future ( x =5.3) (Table 5-19), and their own health ( x =5.3) (Table
5-23).