Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
coordinator. The theory of reasoned action, developed by Fishbein and Ajzen in 1975
(Fishbein and Ajzen 1975; Ajzen and Fishbein 1980), provides a useful approach to
better understand the psychology of a restoration volunteer.
According to Fishbein and Ajzen (1975), the best predictor of behavior is the in-
tention to engage in the behavior, which is a function of a person's attitudes and sub-
jective norms (fig. 2.2). Attitudes are an individual's beliefs or positive or negative feel-
ings about performing the behavior (Fishbein and Ajzen 1975). Subjective norms are
a person's belief about whether significant others feel the individual should perform
the behavior (Hale, Householder, and Greene 2003). Together, attitudes and subjec-
tive norms should explain most, if not all, of the variance in behavioral intention
(Gill, Crosby, and Taylor 1986; Corraliza and Berenguer 2000; Trumbo and O'Keefe
2005). Values and beliefs are essentially synonymous in that values are the most cen-
tral component of a person's belief system (Vaske and Donnelly 1999).
Values are stable beliefs that individuals use as standards to evaluate attitudes and
behaviors. They are few in number, transcend specific situations and experiences, and
are generally poor predictors of specific attitudes and behaviors (Vaske and Donnelly
1999; McFarlane and Boxall 2003). Basic values indirectly influence behavior
through patterns of general beliefs or value orientations that, in turn, influence spe-
cific attitudes and subsequently behavior (McFarlane and Boxall 2003; Manfredo et
al. 2004; Whittaker, Vaske, and Manfredo 2006). Examples of value orientations used
to assess the values humans have about nature and the environment include Kellert's
(1996) nine value orientations, a wildlife value orientation that includes a “protec-
tion-use” continuum (Fulton, Manfredo, and Lipscomb 1996; Bright, Manfredo, and
Fulton 2000; Whittaker, Vaske, and Manfredo 2006), the biocentric-anthropocentric
value orientation continuum (Shindler, List, and Steel 1993; Vaske and Donnelly
FIGURE 2.2.
The value-attitude-behavior model (adapted from Vaske and Donnelly 1999).
