Exploratory study of personal values, religious beliefs, ecological risk perception, and environmentalism among Caribbean residents

This exploratory study assessed awareness of issues related to climate change and environmentalism among residents within the Caribbean region. The study uses a general theory of environmental concern, the value-belief-norm theory, to assess awareness of concerns about actions to protect the environment. Participants were assessed on their personal values, spiritual beliefs, and worldviews to evaluate the explanatory power of the value-belief-norm theory. The study utilized the following measures: Schwartz Value Survey, Spiritual Beliefs and Values Scale, Environmental Risk Perception scale, and the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale. The results of this study found a high level of awareness of environmental risks among residents of the Caribbean region. The results of this study can be used to inform the development of public education campaigns to raise awareness of environmental risks and the importance of environmental protection.