Modelling environmental concern: Theory and application

Summary Human concern for the quality and protection of the natural environment forms the basis of successful environmental conservation activities. The social sciences have considered this concern as an area of research activity. In the present paper environmental concern research is considered and emphasis is placed upon studies which have depicted it in multiple dimensions. The results are then presented from research which has attempted to ask What are the dimensions of this concern? These findings suggest that individuals perceive different environmental issues differentially using multiple concurrent dimensions of evaluation. In general, issues are ascribed to a series of different categories which embody evaluations of; type (or referent) of issue, issue scale, environmental importance and personal importance of the issue.Dr Paul Hackett was until recently a staff member in the Consumer Research Unit of the Department of commerce at the University of Birmingham Business School. He is now on the staff of the Department of General Practice, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff.