Environmental Attitudes Scale
Also known as: EAS
The Environmental Attitudes Scale, most commonly operationalized as the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale developed by Dunlap and colleagues in 2000, is a self-report measure assessing individual endorsement of an ecologically sustainable worldview. The scale measures beliefs about human-nature relationships, including anthropocentrism versus ecocentrism and concern about environmental degradation. It has become a standard tool for measuring pro-environmental attitudes in social and environmental psychology research.
Key highlights
- Measures fundamental ecological worldviews rather than superficial environmental concern
- Well-validated across multiple countries and populations spanning decades of research
- Items capture distinct dimensions of environmental beliefs (ecocentrism, anthropocentrism, ecological limits, balance)
- Strong predictive validity for environmental policy support and conservation behaviors
Intuition
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How it works
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When to use it
Use the Environmental Attitudes Scale in environmental psychology research, studies of climate change beliefs, and research on determinants of pro-environmental behavior. Suitable for general adult populations, college students, and specific environmental interest groups. The scale is particularly valuable when investigating worldviews underlying environmental concern and examining predictors of support for environmental policies.
Strengths & limitations
- Measures fundamental ecological worldviews rather than superficial environmental concern
- Well-validated across multiple countries and populations spanning decades of research
- Items capture distinct dimensions of environmental beliefs (ecocentrism, anthropocentrism, ecological limits, balance)
- Strong predictive validity for environmental policy support and conservation behaviors
- The 15-item format is fixed; shorter versions exist but may have reduced dimensional coverage
- Some items conflate environmental concern with specific political or policy positions
- Social desirability bias may inflate pro-environmental responses in educated or environmentally conscious samples
- Cross-cultural validation shows some items may have different meanings across cultural contexts
Common pitfalls
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Applications
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Frequently asked
What is the difference between the NEP scale and measures of environmental concern?
The NEP scale measures fundamental worldviews and beliefs about human-nature relationships, not emotional concern about the environment. Someone can have high environmental concern (worried about pollution) but low NEP scores (believe humans can overcome problems). Worldviews and concern are related but distinct.
Can someone score high on the NEP scale but engage in harmful environmental behaviors?
Yes. Worldview and behavior show moderate correlations; people with strong ecological paradigm beliefs may still consume high-carbon goods due to constraints, convenience, or competing values. The scale measures beliefs, not behavior.
How has the NEP scale been adapted across countries?
The scale has been translated into numerous languages and validated across cultures. However, the concept of 'ecological limits' and appropriate human-nature balance varies by cultural context. Researchers conducting international research should examine semantic equivalence and local validity.
Does the NEP scale show political bias?
Some research suggests the NEP scale correlates with political ideology, with environmentalists scoring higher. However, it measures genuine beliefs about ecology and nature, not politics per se. Using it requires acknowledging that environmental worldviews may be politically contested in some contexts.
Sources
- 1.Dunlap, R. E., Van Liere, K. D., Mertig, A. G., & Jones, R. E. (2000). New Ecological Paradigm scale: Measuring endorsement of an ecologically sustainable worldview. Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 425–442.
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Cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Environmental Attitudes Scale. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/social-psychology/environmental-attitudes-scale