Environmental Concern and Attitudes Toward Science: A Cross-country Comparison on the ISSP 2010 Data

The growing importance of environmental issues raises environmental concern (defined as caring for the environment). However, the growth of environmental problems may be associated with a negative attitude towards science as the driving force of technological progress. Based on competing revised theory of modernization and the theory of objective problems and subjective values, this work contributes to the discussion about the relationship of environmental concerns and attitudes towards science in a cross-country perspective. The paper analyzes data from the 2010 International Sociological Research Program (ISSP), which includes representative national samples in 36 countries of the world. Environmental concern is considered through the cognitive component, measured as an awareness of environmental pollution and the depletion of global resources, and the conative component, measured as the willingness to take action for eliminating environmental problems. The analysis also takes into account the average level of post-materialistic values and the environmental performance of the country. Using multilevel regression analysis, the paper reveals the factors predicting respondent's environmental concern and its relationship with attitudes toward science. According to the obtained results, post-materialistic values and the unfavorable environmental situation in the region of residence are positively associated with environmental concern; however, the components of environmental concern are differently related to attitudes towards science. While awareness of environmental pollution is associated with a worse attitude towards science, a greater willingness to take actions to eliminate environmental problems is associated with a more positive attitude towards science. These results largely agree with the existing literature. However, for subsequent analysis, it is recommended to differentiate the attitudes to science as a way of cognition and to the scientific community, as well as the conative and cognitive components of environmental concern.