Informed by Stern and colleagues’ value-belief-norm theory and their earlier empirical work, we examined levels and predictors of cognitive and behavioural environmental concern (EC) of university students in a Canadian postsecondary context. Data for this study were obtained through completion of self-administered questionnaires from a sample of 421 undergraduate students attending a public university in Saskatchewan, a province heavily focused on expanding resource extraction. The study used a descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional methodology. Statistical analysis was performed in three parts: (a) univariate description of students’ cognitive and behavioural EC indicators; (b) bivariate associations to assess the nature and direction of the relationships between EC measures; and (c) multivariate analyses to test the causal structure of the theoretical model. Results showed no widespread acceptance of the ‘New Ecological Paradigm’. Students were slightly more prone to place responsibility for environmental protection at the door of government and industry than themselves. Respondents practised a range of environmentally supportive behaviours (ESB) with varying intensities. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses provided support for several of the theory’s propositions in predicting generalised and specific environmental beliefs and ESB. Findings highlighted the complex relationships between personal background, academic and cognitive variables and ESB. That formal instruction on the environment influenced cognitive and behavioural EC, both directly and indirectly, suggests it is essential universities have formal curricula that expose students to the types of environmental knowledge, awareness, and critical thinking skills to promote environmental literacy and address unsustainable lifestyles and attitudes. Institutional interventions, including universities’ role as ‘effective change agents’, are discussed.

中文翻译：

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加拿大城市大学生的认知和行为环境问题：对机构干预的影响

根据 Stern 及其同事的价值信念规范理论和他们早期的实证工作，我们研究了加拿大高等教育背景下大学生认知和行为环境关注 (EC) 的水平和预测因素。这项研究的数据是通过完成对萨斯喀彻温省一所公立大学的 421 名本科生样本的自我管理问卷调查获得的，该省非常注重扩大资源开采。该研究使用了描述性、相关性和横断面方法。统计分析分三个部分进行： (a) 学生认知和行为 EC 指标的单变量描述；(b) 双变量关联以评估 EC 措施之间关系的性质和方向；(c) 多元分析以检验理论模型的因果结构。结果表明，“新生态范式”并未得到广泛接受。与自己相比，学生更倾向于将环境保护责任放在政府和行业的门口。受访者实施了一系列不同强度的环境支持行为（ESB）。分层多元回归分析为该理论在预测广义和特定环境信念和 ESB 方面的若干命题提供了支持。调查结果强调了个人背景、学术和认知变量与 ESB 之间的复杂关系。对环境的正式指导直接和间接地影响了认知和行为 EC，建议大学必须有正式的课程，让学生接触各种环境知识、意识和批判性思维技能，以提高环境素养并解决不可持续的生活方式和态度。讨论了机构干预，包括大学作为“有效变革推动者”的角色。