People’s environmental attitudes

Methods - how we monitor

• Where and how we collect the data

  Those surveyed were asked to respond to six base statements relating to environmental attitudes, using an adapted version of the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale.¹ This scale distinguishes people’s ecological worldviews or their basic beliefs about humans’ relationship to the environment. Using this scale, a score of 6-18 represents an ‘anti-ecological’ attitude, 19-24 a ‘mid-ecological attitude’ and 25-30 represents a ‘pro-ecological’ attitude.

  In 2022 a total n=1,026 surveys were completed. The following sampling methods were used:

  • Online collection: this was the primary sampling method which, for the first time in 2022, made use of a third-party panel provider. Waikato residents were invited to self-complete the questionnaire on an online survey platform with n=792 surveys completed using this method
  • Telephone interviewing: A smaller component of Computer Aided Telephone Interviewing (CATI) interviews n=234 ensured a sufficient number of responses were achieved in some smaller rural areas.

  Monitoring frequency

  Surveys are repeated every three years, with the next survey planned for 2025.

  Monitoring history

  The survey has been carried out eight times:

  • June 1998 (benchmark survey)
  • October to November 2000
  • October to November 2004
  • May 2008
  • January to March 2013
  • February to March 2016
  • April to May 2019
  • April to May 2022

  Measurement technique

  The 2022 survey involved a mixed method approach to data collection designed to ensure a wide cross section of residents were reached. A total n=1,026 surveys were completed across both sources. Sample sources for data collection comprised of the following:

  Data collection type	Number of completed surveys	% of final sample composition
  Online	792	77%
  Telephone	234	23%
  Total	1,026	100%

  • The questions were reviewed and pilot-tested before inclusion in the final survey.
  • Age and gender weightings are applied to the final data set. Weighting ensures that specific demographic groups are neither under- nor over-represented in the final data set and that each group is represented as it would be in the population. The proportions used for the gender and age weights are taken from the 2018 Census (Statistics New Zealand).
  • The total sample size of n=1026 provides a maximum margin of error of +/- 3.06 per cent at the 95% confidence interval.
• How the indicator is compiled

  New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) Scale

  The 6 item NEP rating scale was used for this indicator. In general scholars agree that the 6 item NEP rating scale measures basic ecological beliefs or worldview. Surveys using the NEP scale as a predictor of more specific environmental beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours became widespread in the 1990s and have increased substantially in recent years.

  Survey statements

  • ‘The balance of nature is very delicate and easily upset.’
  • ‘Modifying the environment for human use seldom causes serious problems.’
  • ‘Plants and animals exist primarily to be used by humans.’
  • ‘Earth is like a spaceship with only limited room and resources.’
  • ‘There are limits to economic growth even for developed countries like ours.’
  • ‘Humans were meant to rule over the rest of nature.’

  Half of the six statements were worded so an ‘agree’ response was environmentally positive. The others were worded so an ‘agree’ response was environmentally negative. These negative statements had their polarity reversed for the analysis. Scores were given on a five-point scale.

  Statement scores

  Ratings	Points
  Strongly agree	(5)
  Agree	(4)
  Neither agree nor disagree	(3)
  Disagree	(2)
  Strongly disagree	(1)
  Don’t know	(3)

  ‘Unsure’ and non-responses were coded as ‘Neither/nor’ on the answer scale. Then the scores for answers to each of the six statements were added together to deliver a rating out of 30.

  Results

  The regional result for the six base statements is compiled as the percentage of respondents in three categories based on the 6-30 scale:

  • Pro-ecological – 25-30
  • Mid-ecological – 19-24
  • Anti-ecological – 6-18

  Regional results are given as the per cent of people giving each score. The mean, mode and mid-point are also calculated. For each territorial authority area, the same process is used (per cent giving each score and then the average of the total).