Evaluation of environmental attitudes: Analysis and results of a scale applied to university students

Abstract Over the last few decades, environmental work has increased significantly. An important part of this has to do with attitudes. This research presents the design and validation of an environmental attitudes scale aimed at university students. Detailed information on development and validation of the scale is provided. Similarly, it presents the data derived from its application to a specimen group of students. The number of students involved in the whole research is 952. The results of the work show that a certain level of worry exists among the students regarding environmental problems, which is apparent in the need to increase environmental education and research. Some differences in environmental attitudes were also found between first year students and final year students and male and female students. These results lead us to insist on the importance of bringing about changes in the curriculum to increase environmentalism in the university. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci. Ed 91: 988–1009, 2007