The study of environmental beliefs by facet analysis - Research in the Canary Islands, Spain

The relation between different levels of public concern about the environme nt and sociodemographic and behavioral variables are main issues in several recent investigations. Many of these are based on the idea that environmen tal interest is shaped by personal beliefs. However, the internal structure of those beliefs is not well understood. In this investigation, 3 studies (N = 96; N = 397; N = 400) explored what different types of beliefs concern ing people/environment relationships exist and how they are internally orga nized. Multidimensional techniques such as INDSCAL and facet theory were us ed to analyze the similarity structure of items asking for beliefs toward t he environment. Three viewpoints were identified: ecocentric, anthropocentr ic, and beliefs based on an interest in material progress. Most participant s reported an ecocentric belief. Results concerning the structural analyses are compatible with a strong relation between the anthropocentric and mate rial progress approaches and with the assumption of independence of all 3 b eliefs.