Predicting environmental attitudes and behavior

The need to explain the nature of the relationship between the people and the environment has contributed to widespread research. Out of this general framework, there is increasing focus on the structure of attitudes, beliefs and values in order to explain pro-environmental behaviour. This paper compares two approaches of pro-environmental behaviour prediction. One of them corresponds to the Schwartz’s norm activation theory (1977, 1992). The other was developed by Stern et al. (1995). The approaches predict pro-environmental behaviour through either personal norms or behavioural intention. In this study, general and specific attitudes and beliefs, as well as values, were used as predictors. The results of the present study support Stern’s approach and confirms that it one which can be helpful as an explanatory devise.