CHAPTER 5 ANALYSIS REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL RECOGNITION AND ATTITUDE
5.5 F ORMATION OF E NVIRONMENTAL R ECOGNITION AND A TTITUDE
5.5.2 Formation of Environmental Sensitivity
in Hangzhou, male are more inclined to care the environment.
From the above analysis, the influence of demographic factors to people’s environmental recognition is clarified. In rural areas and in Beijing the middle social class, such as people with middle education and income are more likely to concern themselves with the environment.
While in Hangzhou, young people, and high educated and high-rich people are more concerned with the environment than other issues. Although the influence of gender difference is not obvious, generally speaking, compared to females, males in China more concerned with the environment.
Figure 5-3a Influence of demographic factors to perception of environmental change in rural areas
In Figure 5-3a, negative evaluations (worsened and worsened somewhat) are located in the left lower quadrant. Positive (improved and improve somewhat) and medium evaluations (no change) are located on above axis 2. Individuals who are more close to the negative evaluation are defined as more sensitive to the past environmental deterioration. For the four factors we selected, we found that males in rural areas are more sensitive to the deterioration of the environment in the past than females. Young generation (18-34 years), high-educated and high-rich people are more sensitive to the deterioration of the environment. Middle social class, middle aged people and females are more inclined to hold medium or positive evaluations towards the change in the past. People with low income and low education also close to positive evaluations. From this distribution, a positive relationship between education and income with environmental sensitivity and a negative relationship between age and environmental sensitivity
Improved Improved somewhat No change
woresened somewhat worsened
Male
Female
18-34 years
35-49 years
50 years and over Low education Middle education
High education
Low income Middle income
High income
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
Axis 2 : Eigenvalue = 1.258 (25.2%)
Axis 1 : Eigenvalue = 1.795 (35.9%)
Past_Environmental perception F_Gender
F_Age F_Education F_Income
have been verified. That are, the higher the education and income people have, the more negative evaluations they hold towards the environment, and with the increase of the age, people will become to approve the change in the past.
Figure 5-3b Influence of demographic factors to perception of environmental change in Beijing
In Figure 5-3b, the most positive evaluation (improved), together with low education, old age (50 years and over) and low income are located in the upper left quadrant. The somewhat positive evaluation (improved somewhat) together with female, middle age (35-49 years), and middle education are located in lower left quadrant. Medium evaluation (no change), together with younger generation (18-34 years) and middle income are located in the lower right quadrant. And the negative evaluations (worsened somewhat and worsened) together with male,
Improved
Improved somewhat
No change
Woresened somewhat Worsened Male
Female 18-34 years
35-49 years 50 years and over
Lower education
Middle education
High education Low income
Middle income
High income
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
Axis 2 : Eigenvalue = 1.272 (25.4%)
Axis 1 : Eigenvalue = 2.077 (41.5%)
Past_Environmental perception F_Gender
F_Age F_Education F_Income level
high income and high education are located in the upper right quadrant. From this distribution, the author found that, for the four factors selected, male in Beijing are more sensitive to the deterioration of the environment in the past than females. High-educated and high-income people showed the most sensitivity to the deterioration of the environment. And the positive relationship between education and income with environmental sensitivity, and negative relationship between age and environmental sensitivity are generally verified in Beijing.
Figure 5-3c Influence of demographic factors to perception of environmental change in Hangzhou
In Figure 5-3c, the most positive evaluation (improved), together with low education, low income, and old age (50 years and over) are located in the upper right quadrant; The somewhat positive evaluation (improved somewhat) and medium evaluation (no change), together with male middle income, middle age (35-49 years) and middle education are located in the lower
Improved Improved somewhat
No change Worsened somewhat
Worsened
Male Female 18-34 years
35-49 years
50 years and over Lower education
Middle education
High education Low income
MIddle income High income
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
Axis 2 : Eigenvalue = 1.153 (23.1%)
Axis 1 : Eigenvalue = 1.719 (34.4%)
Past_Environmental perception F_Gender
F_Age F_Education F_Income level
direction of axis 2; the somewhat negative evaluation (worsened somewhat), together with younger generation (18-34 years), high education and high income are located in the upper left quadrant. It is noted the negative evaluation (worsened) is also closed to this group and is included into this group. From this distribution, the author found that, old people and low-educated and low-income people tend to believe environment in the past improved, while male, middle-aged, middle-educated and middle rich people are inclined to believer environment in the past improved somewhat or had no change. And younger, high-educated and high-income people showed the somewhat high sensitivity to the deterioration of the environment. The generally positive relationship between education and income with environmental sensitivity, and negative relationship between age and environmental sensitivity are also verified in Hangzhou.
From the above analysis, the author found that different from the conclusions that derived from the researches concerning people’s subjective well-being, education and income are positively related with, and age is negatively related with environmental sensitivity in the past.
Males in rural areas and Beijing are generally more sensitive to the deterioration of the environment.
Regarding the influence of demographic factors to people’s satisfaction with the present quality, the analysis results are shown in Figure 5-4a-c.
Figure 5-4a Influence of demographic factors to environmental satisfaction in rural areas
In Figure 5-4a, the options of “satisfied” are located in the upper right quadrant. And together with old age (50 years and over), low education and low income are located in the right side of axis 1. “Satisfied somewhat” and “dissatisfied somewhat”, together with middle income and middle education are located in the lower left quadrant. And “dissatisfied” together with young generation (18-34 years), high income and high education are located in the upper left quadrant. From this distribution, the author found that in rural areas younger people, high-educated, high-rich people are inclined to be more dissatisfied with present environmental quality. Old people, low-educated and low-rich people tend to be more satisfied with the present environmental quality. Although not obvious, male in rural areas are inclined to be more dissatisfied with present environment.
Male
Female 18-34 years
35-49 years
50 years and over Low education MIddle education
High educationMiddle income Low income
High income Satisfied
Satisfied somewhat Dissatisfied somwhat
Dissatisfied
Satisfied
Satisfied somewhat Dissatisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied
Satisfied
Satisfied somewhat Dissatisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied
Satisfied
Satisfied somewhat Dissatisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
Axis 2 : Eigenvalue = 2.051 (25.6%)
Axis 1 : Eigenvalue = 2.801 (35%)
F_Gender F_Age F_Education F_Income
Environmental satisfaction_
Air
Environmental satisfaction_
Water
Environmental satisfaction_
Nature
Environmental satisfaction_
Living environment
Figure 5-4b Influence of demographic factors to environmental satisfaction in Beijing
In Figure 5-4b, the options of “satisfied” together with low education, low income old age (50 years and over) and middle education are located in the upper right quadrant. “Somewhat satisfied” and “somewhat dissatisfied”, together young generation (18-34 years), high and middle income, and high education are located in the lower left quadrant. And the options of “dissatisfied”
are located in the upper left quadrant. Middle age and gender variables are near to the original point. From this distribution, the author found that in Beijing, old people, low-educated and low-rich people tend to be more satisfied with the present environmental quality. However, younger people, high-educated, and high-rich people tend to be somewhat satisfied or somewhat dissatisfied with the present environment.
Male
Female
18-34 years
35-49 years 50 years and over
Low education Middle education
High education
Low income
Middle income High income
Satisfied
Satisfied somewhat Dissatisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied
Satisfied
Satisfied somewhat Dissatisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied
Satisfied
Satisfied somewhat Dissatisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied
Satisfied
Satisfied somewhat Dissatisfied somwhat
Dissatisfied
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2
Axis 2 : Eigenvalue = 2.16 (27%)
Axis 1 : Eigenvalue = 2.476 (31%)
F_Gender F_Age F_Education Income level
Environmental satisfaction_
Air
Environmental satisfaction_
Water
Environmental satisfaction_
Nature
Environmental satisfaction_
Living environment
Figure 5-4c Influence of demographic factors to environmental satisfaction in Hangzhou
In Figure 5-4c, the options of “satisfied” are located in the lower left quadrant; the options of
“somewhat satisfied” are located in the upper right quadrant; “somewhat dissatisfied” and
“dissatisfied” are located in the lower right quadrat. However, all the demographic factors are near the original point. The influence of demographic factors to formation of environmental satisfaction in Hangzhou is not obvious.
From the above analysis, the author found that the causal effect of demographic factors to the formation of people’s satisfaction with the present environment is somewhat weak, especially in Hangzhou. However, younger people, high-educated, and high-rich people in rural areas tend to be less satisfied with the present environmental quality, and old people, low-educated and low-rich people in Beijing tend to be more satisfied with the present environmental quality.
Except in Hangzhou, the assumption that younger, better educated and richer people tend to be
Male Female
18-34 years 35-49 years
50 years and over Low education
Middle education High education Low income Middle income High income
Satisfied
Satisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied Satisfied
Satisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied Satisfied
Satisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied Satisfied
Satisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied somewhat
Dissatisfied
-4 -3.5 -3 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1
-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
Axis 2 : Eigenvalue = 2.042 (25.5%)
Axis 1 : Eigenvalue = 3.008 (37.6%)
F_Gender F_Age F_Education
Income level_3clusters Environmental satisfaction_
Air
Environmental satisfaction_
Water
Environmental satisfaction_
Nature
Environmental satisfaction_
Living environment
less satisfied with the present environment is to some extent verified.
Regarding the influence of demographic factors to people’s prediction regarding environmental issues in the future, the analysis results are shown in Figure 5-5a-c.
Figure 5-5a Influence of demographic factors to environmental prediction towards the future in rural areas
In Figure 5-5a, the most positive prediction (improve dramatically) and low income are located in the upper right quadrant. Positive prediction (improve), old age (50 years and over) and low education and middle income are located in the lower part of the figure. Medium responses (no change) are located on the minus part of axis 1. Negative responses (get worse), and young age (18-34 years), high and middle education are located in the upper left quadrant. From this distribution, the author found that in rural areas, the younger, middle and high educated, high-rich people are inclined to believe the surveyed environmental issues will get worse in the future.
Male Female 18-34 years
35-49 years
50 years and over Low education Middle education
High education
Low income
Middle income High income
Improve dramatically
Improve No change
Get worse
Improve dramatically
Improve No change
Get worse
Improve dramatically
Improve No change
Get worse
Improve dramatically
Improve No change Get worse
Improve dramatically
Improve No change
Get worse
Improve dramatically
Improved No change
Get worse
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
Axis 2 : Eigenvalue = 2.979 (29.8%)
Axis 1 : Eigenvalue = 4.038 (40.4%)
F_Gender F_Age F_Education F_Income
Prediction_Air pollution Prediction_Water contamination Prediction_Decline in forestry and vegetation Prediction_Degradation of food safety Prediction_Household waste Prediction_Industrial waste
While old people and low-educated people tend to believe that these environmental issues will get improve in the future.
Figure 5-5b Influence of demographic factors to environmental prediction towards the future in Beijing
In Figure 5-5b, the most positive predictions (improve dramatically) are somewhat far away from other variables, however together with low and middle education, low income, and also middle age (35-49 years) are located in the upper left quadrant. Positive predictions (improve) and old age (50 years and over) are located in the lower left quadrant. Medium prediction (no change), together with middle and high income, and high education are located in the lower right quadrant.
And negative predictions (get worse) and young age (18-34 years) are located in the upper right
Male Female
18-29 years 35-49 years
50 years and over Lower education
Middle education
High education Low income
Middle income
High income Improve dramatically
Improve No change
Get worse Improve dramatically
Improve
No change
Get worse Improve dramatically
Improve No change
Get worse Improve dramatically
Improve
No change
Get worse Improve dramatically
Improve
No change
Get worse Improve dramatically
Improve
No change Get worse
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
Axis 2 : Eigenvalue = 1.985 (19.8%)
Axis 1 : Eigenvalue = 3.329 (33.3%)
F_Gender F_Age F_Education F_Income level Prediction_Air pollution Prediction_Water contamination
Prediction_Decline in forestry and vegetation Prediction_Degradation of food safety Prediction_Household waste Prediction_Industrial waste
quadrant. From this distribution, the author found that compared to the older, lower educated and less rich people, the younger generation, higher educated and richer people are more inclined to predict the environmental issues turn bad in the future. Although not obvious, male in Beijing are likely to give a native evaluation.
Figure 5-5c Influence of demographic factors to environmental prediction towards the future in Hangzhou
In Figure 5-5c, the most positive predictions (improve dramatically) are somewhat far away from other variables and are located in the upper right quadrant. Positive predictions (improve), together with old age (50 years and over), low education are located in the right lower quadrant of the figure. The medium predictions (no change) and negative predictions (get worse), together with young age (18-34 years) and high education are located in the upper left quadrant. From this
Male
Female 18-34 years
35-49 years
50 years and over Low education Middle education
High education
Low income Middle income
High income
Improve dramatically
Improve No change Get worse
Improve dramatically
Improve No change
Get worse
Improve dramatically
Improve No change
Get worse
Improve dramatically
Improve No change
Get worse
Improve dramatically
Improve No change
Get worse
Improve dramatically
Improve No change
Get worse
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Axis 2 : Eigenvalue = 3.518 (35.2%)
Axis 1 : Eigenvalue = 3.940 (39.4%)
F_Gender F_Age F_Education F_Income level Prediction_Air pollution Prediction_Water contamination Prediction_Decline in forestry and vegetation Prediction_Degradation of food safety Prediction_Household waste Prediction_Industrial waste
distribution, the author found that younger and higher educated people and maybe richer people are inclined to believe the environmental issues will get even worse in the future, than the older, less educated and rich people in Hangzhou.
From the above analysis, the author found a general conclusion that younger, higher educated and richer people are more inclined to give a negative prediction towards future environmental changes. Gender difference has very weak influence, except in Beijing, where males showed more worry for future environment. However, it should be noted that the distributions of demographic factors in the three surveyed regions are somewhat close to the original point, which indicates a weak relation. This makes it difficult to find more detail relations between demographic factors with environmental prediction. This may be because of the too detailed options (improve dramatically, improve, no change and get worse), although the author has already combined the options of “get worse” and “get worse dramatically” into one category.
As a summary of the above analysis, the author found that, different from the conclusion that derived from the researches concerning people’s subjective well-being, younger, richer and better educated people, and males in some areas generally showed more “unhappiness” toward the environmental change, by the fact that this group of people are inclined to think the environmental quality worsened in the past, are dissatisfied with the present environment, and also tend to hold a negative prediction that environmental issues will get worse in the future.