Social Determinants of Environmental Concern

Abstract

Differential support for environmental issues has long provoked the curiosity of researchers. Sociodemographics and political ideology have been the primary focus of much research on the determinants of environmental concern. In light of recent work on environmental paradigms and advanced statistical methodologies, it may be advantageous to reexamine the tenets of this body of work. This study restates the findings of previous studies within a broader causal model, and tests that model using data from a general population survey. Analysis indicated that sociodemographic variables were ineffective in explaining any of three types of environmental concern measured here, but pro-regulatory liberal ideology was a strong predictor of support for environmental regulation. Further research might benefit most by exploring underlying belief structures ratherthan demographic characteristics of the population. These results emphasize the importance of careful specification of measures in studies of environmental concern.