Global Competence Behavior: Exploring the Relevance of Students' Scientific Literacy, related Attitudes, and Values - Evidence from PISA 2018 across 52 Countries

Abstract Global competence behavior is increasingly recognized as essential for individuals to navigate diverse perspectives, communicate effectively across cultures, and contribute responsibly to global sustainability and collective well-being. This competence involves sustainable and cultural awareness, ethical judgment, and interacting respectfully. Despite its critical importance, recent international assessments like the 2018 PISA study reveal that students often do not demonstrate global competence behavior regularly. This study, which employs a meta-analytical approach guided by the well-established theory of planned behavior, explores factors influencing global competence behavior by examining attitudes, values, and scientific literacy among N = 399,321 students across N = 52 countries, using data from the 2018 PISA assessment. The analyses highlight the significant roles of students' attitudes toward behavior and their perceived behavioral control over engaging in global competent behaviors. Furthermore, the results underscore the potential benefits of prioritizing global competence behavior in educational systems. The results further shed light on the importance of behavioral intention concerning global competence. The study, therefore, call for educational systems to prioritize holistic goals that embed global competence within curricular frameworks, aligning with evolving international educational standards. Future research should focus on developing and implementing strategies to effectively integrate global competence into education, preparing students to meet the demands of an interconnected world.