Rural-Urban Differences in Environmental Knowledge and Actions

Examined the variation in environmental attitudes and knowledge between rural and urban residents and further developed social environmental theory based on the New Environmental Paradigm (W. R. Catton and R. E. Dunlap, 1978, 1980). Environmental characteristic differences between rural and urban residents were examined by using telephone survey data from 624 Kentucky River Basin residents. Although it was hypothesized that the more urban and metropolitan an individual, the greater would be the individual's environmental world view, concern, knowledge, and actions, no consistent differences by residence in these characteristics were found. However, it was found that education, income, age, and gender themselves accounted for much of the variation. Thus, it is concluded that the success of environmental education depends on its participation in promoting equity in the general population.