New Environmental Theories: Empathizing With Nature: The Effects ofPerspective Taking on Concern for Environmental Issues

In this article, I propose that concern for environmental problems is fundamentally linked to the degree to which people view themselves as part of the natural environment. Two studies are reported that test aspects of this theory. The first study describes the structure of people's concern for environmental problems. Results from a confirmatory factor analysis showed a clear three-factor structure, which I labeled egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric. A second study examined the effects of a perspective-takingmanipulation on egoistic, social-altruistic, and biospheric environmental concerns. Results showed that participants instructed to take the perspective of an animal being harmed by pollution scored significantly higher in biospheric environmental concerns than participants instructed to remain objective.     

Public Perception of Environmental Issues in a Developing Setting: Environmental Concern in Coastal Ghana

OBJECTIVE: Balancing environmental quality with economic growth in less developed settings is clearly a challenge. Still surprisingly little empirical evidence has been brought to bear on the relative priority given environmental and socioeconomic issues among the residents themselves of such settings. This research explores such perceptions. METHODS: We undertake survey research with 2500 residents of coastal Ghana on policy issues, focusing on environmental topics. RESULTS: Our analyses reveal a significant amount of environmental awareness, with education and political engagement consistently predicting higher levels of concern. In addition, environmental issues are deemed important even when considered relative to other socioeconomic issues. CONCLUSION: In the end, we argue that our work sheds light on global environmentalism and the ways in which local populations in less developed settings prioritize social and environmental concerns. This work also has important policy implications since insight on local perceptions may help buttress policy responses designed to cope with global change.     

Religious Values and Environmental Concern: Harmony and Detachment*

Objective. The thought that environmental concern is rooted in religious beliefs and values has been raised by many writers. Different claims have been made about whether the nature of this relationship is positive or negative, and empirical evidence is mixed. In line with research on attitudes and values, this study examines the hypothesis that unless religious values are mentally accessible, they will not affect judgments of environmental issues. Method. Two environmental issues, genetically modified crops and more traditional environmental issues, for example, air pollution from traffic, are chosen to represent accessibility and nonaccessibility, respectively. A two‐wave data set from a national survey is analyzed. Results. The findings support the suggestion that religious values will affect the judgment of environmental threats of the first, but not the second, issue. Conclusion. These findings suggest that situational cues partly determine which values embodied in religion will influence environmental attitudes.     

环境关心的测量：NEP量表在中国的应用评估

本文检视了西方学者（特别是美国学者）自20世纪70年代以来测量公众环境关心的历程,分析了广为使用的NEP量表的提出及修订,并重点基于2003年中国综合社会调查（城市部分）资料,对修订过的NEP量表在中国的应用效果进行了评估。作者指出,不加改造地在中国应用修订过的NEP量表,效果并不理想。但是,经过适当改造之后,该量表可以作为测量公众环境关心的重要工具。     

北京市公众环境意识的总体评价与影响因素

本文通过对北京城区、近郊区和部分远郊区县共2 2 2 5户入户调查数据的分析,对北京公众的环境意识水平进行了综合评价,并对居民个体环境意识的影响因素作了初步识别和分析。研究结果表明,北京市公众的整体环境意识处于一般水平,人口特征、政治面貌、教育程度、职业与职位、公共意识、健康关注度等因素均对北京公众环境意识有重要影响。     

基于人文关怀的哲学教学改革反思

在以往的哲学教学中，人们通常高度重视课程所具有的“工具性”与“科学陛”，而忽略了它特有的人文关怀作用。如何使哲学教学适应时代提出的要求，使之体现更多的对人“本身”的关怀，应引起哲学教育界的深思。     

建构环境关心的测量模型:基于2003中国综合社会调查数据

环境关心的维度一直是个有争议的问题。本文从环境关心的理论定义出发,利用2003年中国综合社会调查（CGSS）数据对环境关心的测量进行验证性因子分析（CFA）。分析结果显示,与二阶模型相比,包括了四个潜在变量（因子）的一阶测量模型更能拟合所收集的数据和环境关心的定义。同时,本文还考察了社会、人口、经济变量对模型中各个因子的影响,结果显示,各个因子之间的相关强度和方向揭示了环境关心并不是具有一个内在一致性的态度体系,从侧面说明了环境关心构成的复杂性,且这种复杂性也体现在其社会、人口、经济变量等方面。     

The Role of Media System Development in the Emergence of Postmaterialist Values and Environmental Concern: A Cross‐National Analysis*

Important theories related to the social development of environmental concern and attitudes ascribe different roles to the media. Inglehart's materialist–postmaterialist value shift thesis sees the development of a more advance media system as promoting pro‐environmental values. Gerbner's cultivation theory, on the other hand, sees the media as promoting consumerist tendencies, which run counter to environmental concern. This study examines the effect of media system development on postmaterialist values and environmental concern at the national and individual levels. Controlling for other factors known to impact the emergence of environmental concern, the overall effect of media system development is largely negative. However, this result should be considered in light of interactions within and among other key variables. Hierarchical linear modeling is employed to examine the impact of media system development on environmental concern considering individual‐ and country‐level predictors. Results indicate media system development uniquely explains a small but significant amount of variation in individual‐level environmental concern. Findings are discussed in the theoretical context of country‐level predictors of environmental concern.     

The Use of Discordant MZ Twins to Generate Hypotheses regarding Non-shared Environmental Influence on Anxiety in Middle Childhood

Non‐shared environmental influence (NSE) has been found to account for around 50 percent of anxiety variance, but specific NSE factors have not been identified. Discordant monozygotic (MZ) twins can be used to generate relevant hypotheses because MZ discordance can be caused by NSE, but not by genes or shared environment. Of 1590 MZ pairs teacher rated for anxiety at the age of seven, we selected the most discordant 19 pairs and conducted interviews with them and their mothers. In explaining discordant anxiety, the mothers emphasised negative school experiences, comparisons within the twin relationship, and illness and accidents. During the maternal interviews neonatal life events, parent–child relationships and peer rejection also emerged as potential NSE sources.     

道家思想与鲁迅的国民性关切

被视为中国国民性具象的阿Q,其“精神胜利法”究竟是受到了道家文化的消极影响还是受到了民间道教的熏化?这个问题需要辩证。道家思想影响了鲁迅的国民性关切及其写作。     

日本环境法的理念、原则以及环境权

环境法的基本理念与原则是体现环境法有别于其他部门法的独特性所不可或缺的,具有一定的方向引导性和行为准则性。在国际环境法、欧洲环境法中,环境法的基本理念与原则包括可持续发展、未然防止及预防、原因者负担等等。除此之外,环境权虽被称作权利,但也具有与理念、原则类似的性质。日本的《环境基本法》把可持续发展视作经济、社会、环境协调统一的支柱,但没有体现其作为原则的行为准则性;对预防原则和环境权没有明文规定;对原因者负担原则只做了有限的规定。鉴于这些理念与原则在环境法中的重要性,今后修改《环境基本法》时应当加以明确。     

试论舒斯特曼新实用主义美学的身体关切

一个世纪以来,对身体关注的持续升温是哲学领域的一个突出事件。当代新实用主义者舒斯特曼的身体美学也是这一事件的产物。他以身体为中心,对身体在艺术和审美中的作用给与充分重视和尊重,纠正了意识美学对身体感受的偏见和忽视。另外,他积极肯定快感的生物学意义和身体在审美中的合法性地位,同时为通俗艺术提供美学辩护,指向了一种更具伦理关怀的人道主义美学的可能。     

解析宏观经济政策对环境可持续发展的影响

环境影响的微观经济学模型、时间序列模型揭示了宏观经济政策是影响环境可持续发展的重要因素。作为宏观经济主要调控工具之一的汇率对环境可持续发展的具体影响主要取决于一国国内供给和外部需求弹性;贸易自由化政策对环境可持续发展的影响则集中表现为规模效应、结构效应和技术效应;低利率和低贴现率通常对环境可持续发展有利;对经济增长和收入分配起关键性作用的税收政策直接和间接地对环境可持续发展产生着正、负面影响。因此,环境因素应当成为我国宏观经济决策体系构建不可或缺的重要内容。     

Validating a Comprehensive Model of Environmental Concern Cross‐Nationally: A U.S.‐Canadian Comparison*

Objective. The dimensionality of “environmental concern” remains ambiguous despite decades of research on environmental attitudes and beliefs. We attempt to provide insight into this issue by using the belief systems perspective and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test a comprehensive conceptualization of environmental concern. Methods. The study employs a comparative design by using national probability samples of citizens from Canada and the United States, and a comprehensive conceptualization model to maximize content validity. We utilize CFA and structural equation modeling techniques to avoid well‐known measurement error problems in survey research. Results. Eight key facets of environmental concern have moderate to high factor loadings on one underlying construct, and all but perception of community problems and national problems have high loadings. Further analyses provide construct validation for our measurement model. Conclusion. Our results suggest that even among the general public, attitudes toward environmental issues are relatively well organized into a broad and coherent sense of “concern for the environment.” The similarity in the U.S. and Canadian results increases our faith in the validity of our comprehensive conceptualization of environmental concern, as well as the utility of the belief systems perspective and CFA modeling for future studies of environmental attitudes and beliefs.