Nature affinity and eco-behaviour: the hidden forces of guilt, threat, and morality among economics and engineering students

Abstract

This study sets out to gain deeper insight into selected factors that drive pro-environmental behaviour (PEB). We focus on emerging leaders in sectors such as technology and economics. We asked 568 students enrolled in economics and engineering degree programmes at the Duale Hochschule Baden-Wuerttemberg in Germany. Based on the Value Belief Norm framework we are able to to provide fundamental insights into pro-environmental behaviour (PBN) to inform, for example, teaching strategies and curriculum development at universities and in vocational training institutions in order to influence students’ awareness and reflection of pro-environmental orientations. The results of this cross-sectional study show that students values indirectly influence PEB via their beliefs and norms. These pathways are consistent across disciplines and are unaffected by prior work experience. We enclose suggestions for future research on environmental behaviour motivators.