INFLUENCE OF THE SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES ON ENVIRONMENTAL PERCEPTION. CASE STUDY: TARGOVISTE (DAMBOVITA COUNTY, ROMANIA

Section Ecology and Environmental Protection

INFLUENCE OF THE SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES ON ENVIRONMENTAL PERCEPTION. CASE STUDY: TÂRGOVIŞTE (DÂMBOVIŢA COUNTY, ROMANIA)

Lecturer dr. Andra Costache Lecturer dr. Mihaela Sencovici Valahia University of Târgovişte, Romania

ABSTRACT The article focuses on identifying the socio-demographic variables which are inducing statistically significant differences on environmental perception in an urban area. It also aims to highlight the correlations between socio-demographic features of the respondents and two main components of environmental perception: the perceived level of environmental quality and attitude towards volunteering in programs aimed to improve the quality of environment The study allows the detection of effective ways of communicating environmental issues and involving the population in environmental programs, in accordance with the socio-demographic profile of the targeted groups. Keywords: socio-demographic correlation, chi-square test.

variables,

environmental

perception,

statistical

INTRODUCTION Classic studies in environmental psychology, as well as recent research confirmed the connection between socio-demographic variables and environmental perception [1], [2], [3], [4]. The environmental concerns of the population are traditionally explained in relation with socio-demographic and economic variables such as age, gender, education, employment status, political orientation and income levels. There is also consensus on the fact that these variables are insufficient to explain human behavior, which is significantly influenced by spatial and geographical factors [5]. Therefore, since the 1920s, human ecology studies have highlighted the role of residence and proximity in understanding the population's attitudes towards the environment. The issues of human behavior towards environment are relevant not only for academics but also for policymakers, because the level of residents’ environmental concern within a certain area is directly related to the probability that they will support local government efforts in environmental protection. Therefore, the development of strategies to aimed to implement pro-environmental measures at local scale should be preceded by a deep understanding of the residents’ environmental perception, and also by a good knowledge of the factors influencing the expression of environmental attitudes through behavior.

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In the light of these facts, a field survey was initiated and conducted in Târgovişte, a medium-sized city of Romania (73964 inhabitants at the 2011 census), currently facing a certain inertia in adopting pro-environmental attitudes, which is likely to jeopardize the success of local administration’s initiatives. OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY The main objective of the present study was to highlight correlations between sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents and various components of environmental perception. The approach was designed in order to provide a contribution in finding more efficient ways of communicating environmental issues and to ensure a theoretical basis for public involvement in environmental protection programs, in accordance with the socio-demographic profile of the targeted groups. Although our primary focus was on socio-demographic variables (table 1), the influence of spatial factors was not ignored, especially since in Târgovişte there is a link between the neighborhood of residence and the predominant socio-demographic profile of the residence (e.g. in terms of ethnicity or income level, which are indirectly connected to some variables used in the analysis, such as education or occupational status). These issues were addressed in a previous study [6] and remain open questions for future research. Table 1 Socio-demographic variables and characteristics of the sample Variable Age (years) Gender Education Employment Residence

Categories (% in the total number of respondents) 16-19 20-30 31-50 >50 54 14 21 11 M F 36 64 College Post-secondary Secondary Gymnasium 32 7 7 54 Employee Retired Student Unemployed 22 7 57 14 Central Peripheric Other situations neighborhoods neighborhoods 25 50 25

The questionnaire was applied to a random sample of 140 people, either residents of Târgovişte or people who spent much of the time in the city (e.g. students from rural areas, commuting or living temporarily in the town). Out of the 38 survey items, there were selected for correlation with socio-demographic variables the items related to assessment of the environmental quality and pro-environmental attitudes of respondents (involvement in volunteering actions). The questionnaire was applied by interviewers in 43% of cases, and self-administered by 57% of respondents (students’ subsample, in which case the questionnaires were distributed by teachers, in the classroom). The questionnaire data were interpreted and statistically analyzed, using parametric tests (chi-square test of independence).

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In order to focus on people’s perception on environmental quality, the results of three items have been selected; for each item, the results were differentiated according to the socio-demographic variables whose influence had to be determined. In the appropriate cases, contingency tables were drawn and the influence of the socio-demographic variables was determined using the chi-square test. Environmental concerns and environmental knowledge. For this questionnaire topic, we considered one variable (assessment of environmental quality) and two items: 1. How would you assess the environmental quality in the town of Târgovişte?; 2 Has the environmental quality improved in Târgovişte during the last decade?. Item 1. How would you assess the environmental quality in the town of Târgovişte? The results concerning people’s own assessment on environmental quality were differentiated according to respondents' characteristics (age, gender, education level, employment status and neighborhood of residence). This step revealed a certain influence of socio-demographic variables on the choices expressed by respondents (table 2). In order to verify this empirical observation, contingency tables were drawn and the chi-square test was applied. Given that the test results are sensitive to the number of observations, the fields with null frequencies were eliminated (i.e. very good and very bad) and the categories for which frequencies were lower than 5 were cumulated. Analysis of the results according to the variable age required the differentiation of two categories, namely young people (16-19 years old), corresponding to the subsample of students, and adults and elderly, for rest of the sample. The resulted value of χ2 was of 11.3, higher that the critical threshold of 9.21 for df=2 and error threshold set to 1%, so the two age groups have a different perception on the environment. In this case, the respondents in the subsample of students assessed in a larger amount the environmental quality as good. Table 2 Respondents’ assessment of environmental quality: results differentiated according to age and gender Variable: Assessment of environmental quality Item Category How would very good you assess the good environmental satisfactory quality in the bad town of very bad Târgovişte?

Total n % 0 40 85 15 0

0,0 28,6 60,7 10,7 0,0

16-19 n % 0 0 30 40 40 53 5 7 0 0

Age (years) 20-30 31-50 n % n % 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 50 30 100 10 50 0 0 0 0 0 0

Gender >50 n % 0 0 10 67 5 33 0 0 0 0

M n 0 35 15 0 0

F % 0 70 30 0 0

n 0 5 70 15 0

% 0,0 5,5 77,8 16,7 0,0

During the differentiation of the results according to the gender of the respondents, the frequencies obtained for the categories satisfactory and bad were cumulated. The last one recorded a lower number of responses, coming only from female respondents. The determined value of χ2 was of 65.4, higher than the value of critical χ2 (6.64) for df = 1 433

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and error threshold set to 1%, indicating a strong correlation between the gender of the respondents and their perception on environmental quality. The fact that women tend to manifest a higher level of exactingness in assessing environmental quality can be explained by their role of caregivers [7]. Also, according to the socialization-based theory, usually women embrace roles imposed by socio-cultural factors, i.e. to be altruistic, cooperative and interdependent, unlike men, who are mainly independent and competitive [8]. Consequently, women tend to adopt a pro-environmental behavior, resulting from their concerns about the negative effects of environmental problems on themselves (ego-centric attitude), over others (altruistic attitude) and on the biosphere (ecocentric attitude) [9]. The large number of null frequencies obtained when splitting results according to occupational status did not allow a relevant aggregation of the categories in order to draw a contingency table. A possible approach would be to analyze results for students vs. the rest of the sample, which has already been tackled when the influence of variable age was discussed. In order to avoid errors due to low or null frequencies, the contingency table for the variable residence was drawn by using the categories good, satisfactory and bad, the last two being cumulated. The determined value of χ2 was of 14, higher that critical χ2 (9.21) for df=2 and an error threshold set to 1%, which shows a statistically significant correlation between neighborhood of residence and perception of environmental quality. Table 3 Respondents’ assessment of environmental quality: results differentiated according to their place of residence Variable: Assessment of environmental quality

Item How would you assess the environmental quality in the town of Târgovişte?

Category very good good satisfactory bad very bad

central neighborhoods

Residence peripheric neighborhoods

Other cases

n

%

n

%

n

%

0 15 20 0 0

0 43 57 0 0

0 10 60 0 0

0 14 86 0 0

0 15 5 15 0

0 43 14 43 0

For the residents of the central districts, the tendency to assess environmental quality as good is stronger, which can be explained by the fact that environmental issues are sometimes perceived and defined in terms of quality of life, which is higher in central areas of the city. The results could be also related with the presence of former polluters on industrial sites in the outskirts. Although these plants have been restructured and they are not currently sources of pollution, the proximity to them may influence the perception on environmental quality in the case of the residents of peripheric neighborhoods.

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Item 2. Has the environmental quality improved in Târgovişte during the last decade? Differentiation of the results according to demographic variables emphasized a significant influence of both age and gender on respondents’ perception on environmental quality change during the last decade. Although the chi-square test could not be applied in the case of variable age, due to the presence of null frequencies, it is obvious that the respondents aged over 30 years and especially those over 50 years tend to have a positive perception of environmental quality changes during past decade (table 4). This result corresponds to reality and it can be attributed to the experience and knowledge of adults and elderly, which enabled them to notice changes to a greater extent than young people and to appreciate their tendency. Table 4 Perception of environmental quality change: results differentiated according to age and gender Variable: Assessment of environmental quality Item Category Has the Yes environmental quality No improved in Târgovişte I don't during the last know decade?

16-19 n % 30 40,0

Age (years) 20-30 31-50 n % n % 15 75 25 83,3

Gender >50 n % 15 100

M

F

n 35

% 70

n 50

% 55,6

20

26,7

5

25

0

0,0

0

0

10

20

15

16,6

25

33,3

0

0

5

16,7

0

0

5

10

25

27,8

A statistically significant correlation was determined between gender variable and a positive perception of environmental changes - the value of χ2 was of 6.04, higher that critical χ2 (5.99) for df=2 and an error threshold set to 5%. A high share of female respondents were unable to measure the environmental quality tendency during the past 10 years (table 4). The result is more related to the age of respondents (80% of women who responded “I don’t not” to this item were between 16 and 19 years) than to the women’s information level on environmental issues. Our analysis also considered the influence of spatial factor (neighborhood of residence) on the perception of environmental quality change (table 5). More than a half of the residents perceive a positive change in environmental quality, regardless of the neighborhood of residence, but the highest share of those who perceive an improvement was recorded in central areas of the town. Using only the categories “yes” and “no”(in order to avoid the influence of null frequencies registered for the “I don’t know” category), we were able to draw a contingency table and to apply the chi-square test. The determined value of χ2 was of 6.05, higher that critical χ2 (5.99) for df=2 and an error threshold set to 5%, what proves a statistically significant correlation between place of residence and perception of changes occurred in environmental quality. Length of the residence was also emphasized as having a significant role in the construction of a positive perception on environmental quality change, when this matches reality - the value of χ2 was of 20.2, higher that critical χ2 (18.47) for df=4 and an error threshold set to 1%o. 435

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Table 5 Perception of environmental quality change: results differentiated according to the neighborhood of residence and length of the residence Variable: Assessment of environmental quality Item Category Has the Yes environmental quality No improved in Târgovişte I don't during the last know decade?

Residence (neighborhoods) Central Peripheric Other n % n % n %

Length of residence (years) 20 n % n % n %

25

71,4

40

57,1

20

57,1

5

33,3

25

45,4

45

81,8

10

28,6

5

7,1

10

28,6

5

33,3

15

27,3

5

9,1

0

0,0

25

35,8

5

14,3

5

33,3

15

27,3

5

9,1

Pro-environmental attitude. To highlight the way in which the pro-environmental attitudes are materialized in behaviors across different sample categories, we examined results on involvement in volunteer activities aimed at improving environmental quality. Our focus was not on the reasons of actions, but rather on the motivation of non-action (e.g. personal or subjective constraints, transferring responsibility or lack of interest). Besides subjective constraints faced by individuals (e.g. mentality, perception of action’s effectiveness or perceived difficulties), highlighted by the ipsative theory of behavior [10], pro-environmental behaviors are also limited by objective constraints. These constraints correlate with socio-demographic variables [11] that determine differences in access to opportunities and resources that allow the expression of attitudes through behaviors. Table 6 Involvement in volunteering activities: results differentiated according to the respondents’ age and gender Variable: Pro-environmental attitude Item Have you participated in volunteer activities aimed to improve environmental quality?

Category Yes No, I'm not interested No, I have not enough time No, It's not my responsibility

16-19 n 50 5

Age (years) 20-30 31-50 n n 10 20 0 0

>50 n 0 0

Gender F M n n 50 30 0 5

15

5

5

0

25

0

5

5

5

15

15

15

Despite the fact that the presence of null frequencies limited the utilization of the chisquare test, differentiation of the results by age, gender (table 6), education level and employment status of the respondents (table 7) emphasized interesting results. In terms of age-induced differences, young people (16-19 years) are the most involved in volunteering actions (63% of the respondents that mentioned being volunteers), due to the pro-environmental programs implemented as extra-curricular activities. On the other

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hand, all respondents aged above 50 years rejected the possibility of volunteering, by transferring the responsibility, usually to the decision-makers. Differentiation of the results according to the gender of the respondents show that timerelated constraints to volunteering are entirely specific to female respondents. Thus, 42% of the respondents not involved in volunteering stated that their reason for nonaction is not lack of willingness to volunteer, but the lack of time. This fact could be used in designing targeted actions for this segment of the population such as alternative pro-environmental actions that consider the double burden of women’s work (e.g. parenting and job responsibilities) and its specific constraints (e.g. sharing volunteering actions with children for working mothers). In the case of variables education and employment, it is obvious that the large share of high-school students in the total number of respondents is influencing the results. Analysis of the results for the rest of the sample (categories “gymnasium” and “students” excluded) shows that notable differences in respondents’ attitude towards volunteering are registered for variable employment. The answers provided by retired people are consistent with those obtained for the age category they belong (above discussed). Table 7 Involvement in volunteering activities: results differentiated according to the respondents’ education level and employment status Variable: Pro-environmental attitude

Coll.

Education Post- Sec. Sec. n n

Gymn.

Empl.

Employment Ret. Stud. Unempl.

Item Category n n n n Have you Yes 15 0 20 5 5 50 participated in volunteering No, I'm not 0 0 interested 0 0 0 5 activities No, I have not aimed to 0 0 enough time 5 0 5 15 improve environmental No, It's not my responsibility 15 10 quality? 20 5 0 5 Education: coll.= college, post-sec.=post-secondary, sec.=secondary, gymn.=gymnasium Employment: empl.= employee, ret.= retired, stud.=student, unempl.= unemployed

n

n

50

15

5

0

20

5

5

0

For the unemployed people, one explanation of the results may be the fact that some of them are receiving social benefits and have to perform community work, partly involving actions for environmental quality improvement, mistakenly reported as volunteering work. CONCLUSION The research results support our initial assumption that the environmental programs should consider differences in environmental perception among various sociodemographic groups. Thus, these programs could develop specific actions for young 437

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people, which are more likely to volunteer through school-implemented programs, but who also need more information on environmental quality. Another direction of the environmental programs could address women’s concerns on environmental quality and could propose actions adapted to their time-related constraints to volunteering. Last but not least, the needs and concerns of people living in peripheric neighborhoods should be more carefully addressed, with actions adapted not only to their socio-demographic profile, but also to the tendency to define environmental quality in terms of quality of life issues.

REFERENCES [1] Maslow A., Motivation and personality, New York, NY: Harper, 1954, p. 236. [2] Van Liere K. D., Dunlap R. E., The social bases of environmental concern: a review of hypothesis, explanations and empirical evidence, Public Opinion Quarterly, 44, 1980, pp 181-197 [3] Raudsepp M., Some socio-demographic and socio-psychological predictors of environmentalism, Trames, 5(55/50), 3, 2001, pp 355-367 [4] Gifford R., Nilsson A., Personal and social factors that influence pro-environmental concern and behaviour: A review, International Journal of Psychology, Volume 49, Issue 3, 2014, pp 141–157 [5] Brody S., Highfield W., Alston L., Does Location Matter? Measuring Environmental Perceptions of Creeks in Two San Antonio Watersheds, Environment and Behavior, Vol. 36 No. 2, 2004, pp 229-250 [6] Sencovici M., Costache A., Methods and means of evaluating the perception concerning the environmental conditions. Case study: the urban ecosystem of Târgovişte, 12th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference, SGEM2012 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 5, 2012, pp 571 - 578 [7] Satterfield T. A., Mertz C. K., Slovic P., Discrimination, vulnerability, and justice in the face of risk, Risk Analysis, 24, 2004, pp 115–129 [8] Zelenzy L., Aldrich C., Elaborating on gender differences in environmentalism, Journal of Social Issues, 56 (3), 2000, pp 443-457 [9] Stern P. C., Dietz T., Kalof L., Value orientations, gender, and environmental concern, Environment and Behavior 25, 1993, pp 322-348 [10] Frey B. S., Ipsative and objective limits to human behavior, Journal of Behavioral Economics, 17, 1989, pp 229-248 [11] Tanner C., Constraints on Environmental Behaviour, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 1999, 19, pp 145-157

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