Responsible Environmental Behavior: Metaphoric Transference of Minimum-Impact Ideology

Porter Hammitt, Wayne Freimund, Alan Watson, Rod Brod, and Chris Monz

Abstract
This research project studied changes in responsible environmental behavior for students at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).  It was hypothesized that an increase in such behavior would result from the metaphoric transference of minimum-impact ideology to daily life. A survey instrument was administered to students (N=288) immediately before, immediately after, and four to eight months after their courses. Results revealed that students' reported behavior was significantly more environmentally responsible after NOLS, despite a decidedly pro-environmental distribution for behavior prior to NOLS. Students also responded more positively after NOLS to the constructs of a theoretical predictive model for responsible environmental behavior. 

 Responsible Environmental Behavior-Minimum-Impact Ideology.pdf (175.43 KB)