The Relationship between Perceived Hope for Preventing Climate Change and Climate Change Worry and Environmental Behavior

Abstract

The study aimed to determine the effect of the perception of hope for preventing climate change on climate change worry and environmental behavior. The study was planned as descriptive, cross-sectional and relational. The study was conducted with 301 people who met the inclusion criteria. In the study, low-level positive relationships were found between the perception of hope for preventing climate change and low-effort behaviors (r = 0.282, p < 0.01), high-effort behaviors (r = 0.195, p < 0.01) and the level of pro-environmental behavior (r = 0.260, p < 0.01). It was found that the climate change worry levels of married individuals (Mean = 33.88, SD = 8.11) were significantly higher than those of single individuals (Mean = 30.39, SD = 7.77) (t = 2.385, p = 0.018). The climate change worry levels of female (Mean = 31.96, SD = 7.82) were significantly higher than those of male (Mean = 29.78, SD = 7.79) (t = 2.421, p = 0.016). It is recommended that the socio-demographic characteristics of individuals be taken into consideration when creating environmental and climate change action plans.