Role and Origin of human values in the Study of pro-environmental Behavior
My dissertation advanced theoretical knowledge of the role of human values and its antecedents for understanding pro-environmental behaviors in natural resource management contexts. First, building on the existing research on human values, I discovered that eudaimonia (i.e., long-term happiness promoted by a meaningful life) could be conceptualized as a higher-order value that shaped the guiding principles in life among recreational anglers who were at risk of unintentionally spreading aquatic invasive species across the Great Lakes region of the USA. Second, I showed that childhood experiences in nature, including outdoor recreation and environmental education, explained connection to nature and environmental values, which in turn, positively influenced pro-environmental behavior among adults. Lastly, I provided empirical evidence from a longitudinal study of how children's hands-on experiences with birds increased their connection to birds and nature. My dissertation thus provided insights into the experiential origins of human values and the formation of behaviors that benefit the environment over the lifespan.
