Graduation Term

2013

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Department of Psychology

Committee Chair

Eric D. Wesselmann

Committee Member

Matthew Hesson-McInnis

Abstract

Environmental commitment is a concept based on the investment model and interdependence theory literature. Interdependence theory and the investment model were originally geared towards the study of relationship commitment as function of relationship satisfaction and alternatives to being in that relationship. It has since been applied to areas outside of relationship commitment such as environmental commitment. Previous research has demonstrated that environmental commitment can be predictive of environmental behavior, above and beyond several different control variables that captured different aspects of the person-environment relationship (Davis, Le, & Coy, 2011; Davis, Green, & Reed, 2009). This project will strengthen the existing model by adding two new control variables: a new measure of environmental attitudes and measures of three HEXACO personality factors. My general hypothesis was that environmental commitment predicted self-reported environmental behavior, above and beyond both the new control variables and the existing control variables that were used in this model. I ran both a regression analysis and a path analysis, both incorporating the control variables to test this hypothesis. Overall, environmental commitment did display incremental validity above and beyond the other variables used in the analysis. Also, an alternative model of environmental commitment was developed that displayed excellent global fit. This study further strengthened the utility of Davis's (2011) model for understanding environmental commitment. This study also advanced research in determinants of environmental behavior.

Access Type

Thesis-Open Access

DOI

http://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2013.Boyd.S

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