Measuring Endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm: A Revised NEP Scale - Statistical Data Included

Journal of Social Issues, Fall, 2000 by Riley E. Dunlap, Kent D. Van Liere, Angela G. Mertig, Robert Emmet Jones

The overall pattern of increasing endorsement of the NEP in Washington State, especially given the "ceiling effect" imposed by the relatively strong pro-NEP views expressed in 1976, provides modest support (as does the above-noted complementary trend in Kentucky) for arguments that an ecological worldview is gaining adherents (e.g., Olsen et al., 1992). Presumably, had the original data been obtained in the 1960s, or earlier, rather than in the middle of the so-called environmental decade, the amount of change would have been far more striking (see Dunlap, 1995, for data on long-term trends in public concern for environmental quality).

Conclusion

The results reported in this article suggest that it is appropriate to treat the new set of 15 items designed to measure endorsement of an ecological worldview as constituting a single "New Ecological Paradigm Scale." The revised NEP Scale appears to be an improved measuring instrument compared to the original scale, as it (1) provides more comprehensive coverage of key facets of an ecological worldview, (2) avoids the unfortunate lack of balance in item direction of the original scale (where only four items, all dealing with anthropocentrism, were stated in an anti-NEP direction), and (3) removes the outmoded, sexist terminology in some of the original scale's items. The revised NEP Scale has slightly more internal consistency than did the original version (alpha of .83 versus .81), although this likely stems from its having three more items (as alpha tends to increase with scale length, all other things equal). Although items were selected to represent five discernible, but interrelated, facets of an ecolo gical worldview, thus maximizing content validity, the results suggest the presence of one dominant factor in the Washington survey.

Of course, future research will be needed to address the issue of the revised NEP Scale's dimensionality, and on some samples a clearer pattern of multidimensionality will no doubt emerge and warrant creation of two or more subscales measuring distinct dimensions of the NEP. A goal for future research will be to compare the degree to which the NEP beliefs are organized coherently across different populations, including comparing patterns of multidimensionality when distinct dimensions emerge, as well as the degree to which resulting belief systems (or worldviews) influence a range of environmental attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

We also hope to see additional longitudinal research employing the revised NEP Scale. Although they tap primitive beliefs about humanity's relationship with the Earth, the NEP items should be responsive to personal experiences with environmental problems (as reflected by Arcury and Christianson's [1990] Kentucky study) and to information--diffused by government agencies, scientists, environmentalists and the media--concerning the growing seriousness of environmental problems. Despite the inherent complexities involved in cognitive change (see, e.g., Eagly & Kulesa, 1997), we suspect that the never-ending emergence of new scientific evidence concerning the deleterious impacts of human activities on environmental quality and the subsequent threats these pose to the welfare of humans (and other species) will generate continual pressure for adoption of a more ecological worldview. The revised NEP Scale should prove useful in tracking possible increases in endorsement of an ecological worldview, as well as in exa mining the effect of specific experiences and types of information in generating changes in this worldview.