Journals / İşletme / 2026 / Cilt: 7 Sayı: 2

Can Environmental Concerns and Demographic Characteristics Explain Pro-Environmental Behavior? Findings from the Turkish General Social Survey (TGSS)

Çevresel Kaygı ve Demografik Özellikler Çevre Yanlısı Davranışı Açıklayabilir mi? Türkiye Genel Sosyal Saha Araştırması (TGSS) Bulguları

Vural Deniz(SELÇUK ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-8190-3065
Journal
İşletme
Pages
151–175
Publication Date
2026-09-23
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings revealed that environmental anxiety and pro-environmental behavior differed according to demographic variables.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study aims to examine the effect of demographic characteristics on environmental concern and pro-environmental behavior, to evaluate the explanatory power of demographic variables on pro-environmental behavior, and to test the effect of environmental concern on pro-environmental behavior in a Turkish sample.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Secondary data were used in the research, utilizing the Turkish General Social Survey (TGSS) 2024 dataset.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:The findings revealed that environmental anxiety and pro-environmental behavior differed according to demographic variables.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:2024 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Çevresel Kaygı · Çevre Yanlısı Davranış · Demografik Değişkenler

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effect of demographic characteristics on environmental concern and pro-environmental behavior, to evaluate the explanatory power of demographic variables on pro-environmental behavior, and to test the effect of environmental concern on pro-environmental behavior in a Turkish sample. Secondary data were used in the research, utilizing the Turkish General Social Survey (TGSS) 2024 dataset. In the analysis process, differences between demographic groups were examined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and predictors of pro-environmental behavior were examined using linear regression analysis. The findings revealed that environmental anxiety and pro-environmental behavior differed according to demographic variables. However, it was determined that the explanatory power of demographic variables on pro-environmental behavior was quite low, and although environmental concern had a positive and significant effect on behavior, its explanatory power was limited. In this respect, the study provides empirical evidence to important questions in the field of environmental psychology in a nationally representative sample in Türkiye.

Özet

Bu çalışma, demografik özelliklerin çevresel kaygı ve çevre yanlısı davranış üzerindeki etkisini incelemeyi, demografik değişkenlerin çevre yanlısı davranışı açıklama gücünü değerlendirmeyi ve çevresel kaygının çevre yanlısı davranış üzerindeki etkisini Türkiye örnekleminde test etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmada ikincil veri kullanılmış ve Türkiye Genel Sosyal Saha Araştırması (TGSS) 2024 veri setinden yararlanılmıştır. Analiz sürecinde, demografik gruplar arasındaki farklılıklar tek yönlü varyans analizi (ANOVA), çevre yanlısı davranışın yordayıcıları ise doğrusal regresyon analizi ile incelenmiştir. Bulgular, çevresel kaygının ve çevre yanlısı davranışın demografik değişkenlere göre farklılaştığını ortaya koymuştur. Bununla birlikte demografik değişkenlerin çevre yanlısı davranışı açıklama gücü oldukça düşük olduğu ve çevresel kaygının ise davranış üzerinde pozitif ve anlamlı bir etkiye sahip olmasına rağmen açıklayıcı gücünün sınırlı olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bu yönüyle çalışma, Türkiye'de ulusal düzeyde temsil gücüne sahip bir örneklemde çevre psikolojisi alanındaki önemli sorulara ampirik kanıt sunmaktadır.

🔖

Cite This Article

Deniz, V. (2026). Can Environmental Concerns and Demographic Characteristics Explain Pro-Environmental Behavior? Findings from the Turkish General Social Survey (TGSS). İşletme, Cilt: 7 Sayı: 2, 151–175. https://doi.org/10.57116/isletme.2007254

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (58)

  1. Ágoston, C., Balázs, B., Mónus, F., & Varga, A. (2024). Age differences and profiles in pro-environmental behavior and eco-emotions. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 48(2), 132-144. https://doi.org/10.1177/01650254231222436
  2. Amoah, A., & Addoah, T. (2021). Does environmental knowledge drive pro-environmental behaviour in developing countries? Evidence from households in Ghana: A. Amoah, T. Addoah. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 23(2), 2719-2738. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-00698-x
  3. Aral, Ö. H., & López-Sintas, J. (2022). Is pro-environmentalism a privilege? Country development factors as moderators of socio-psychological drivers of pro-environmental behavior. Environmental Sociology, 8(2), 211-227. https://doi.org/10.1080/23251042.2021.2018123
  4. Aral, Ö. H., & López-Sintas, J. (2023). Environmental behavior patterns across clusters of European Union countries: Uncovering heterogeneity in the attitude-behavior-context relationship. Journal of Cleaner Production, 388, 135936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.135936
  5. Arnold, H. E., Cohen, F. G., & Warner, A. (2009). Youth and environmental action: Perspectives of young environmental leaders on their formative influences. The Journal of Environmental Education, 40(3), 27-36. https://doi.org/10.3200/JOEE.40.3.27-36
  6. Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
  7. Brick, C., Nielsen, K. S., Berger, S., Henn, L., Wolske, K. S., Lange, F.,. & Cologna, V. (2024). Current research practices on pro-environmental behavior: A survey of environmental psychologists. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 97, 102375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2024.102375
  8. Briscoe, M. D., Givens, J. E., Hazboun, S. O., & Krannich, R. S. (2019). At home, in public, and in between: Gender differences in public, private and transportation pro-environmental behaviors in the US Intermountain West. Environmental Sociology, 5(4), 374-392. https://doi.org/10.1080/23251042.2019.1628333
  9. Cantillo, J., Astorino, L., & Tsana, A. (2025). Determinants of pro-environmental attitude and behaviour among European Union (EU) residents: Differences between older and younger generations. Quality and Quantity, 59(3), 2623-2659. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-025-02089-8
  10. Carasso Romano, G. H., Sippori, R., & Soroker, S. (2025). Examining the relationship between ecological anxiety and pro-environmental behavior: Personal and collective actions. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1505564. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1505564
  11. Dąbrowski, L. S., Środa-Murawska, S., Smoliński, P., & Biegańska, J. (2022). Rural–urban divide: Generation Z and pro-environmental behaviour. Sustainability, 14(23), 16111. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316111
  12. Demirović Bajrami, D., Đervida, R., Radosavac, A., Vuksanović, N., & Matović, S. (2025). What makes tourists go green? A multidimensional exploration of pro-environmental behavior predictors. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 8(8), 3108-3127. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-09-2024-0972
  13. Desrochers, J. E., & Zelenski, J. M. (2023). Why are males not doing these environmental behaviors?: Exploring males’ psychological barriers to environmental action. Current Psychology, 42(29), 25042-25060. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03587-w
  14. Diamantopoulos, A., Schlegelmilch, B. B., Sinkovics, R. R., & Bohlen, G. M. (2003). Can socio-demographics still play a role in profiling green consumers? A review of the evidence and an empirical investigation. Journal of Business Research, 56(6), 465-480. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0148-2963(01)00241-7
  15. Duron-Ramos, M. F., Collado, S., García-Vázquez, F. I., & Bello-Echeverria, M. (2020). The role of urban/rural environments on Mexican children’s connection to nature and pro-environmental behavior. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 514. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00514
  16. Dzialo, L. (2017). The feminization of environmental responsibility: A quantitative, cross-national analysis. Environmental Sociology, 3(4), 427-437. https://doi.org/10.1080/23251042.2017.1327924
  17. Fabio, R. A., Croce, A., & Calabrese, C. (2025). Bridging the Green Attitude–Behavior Gap. Journal of Sustainability Research, 7(3), e250059. https://doi.org/10.20900/jsr20250059
  18. Gao, J., Zhao, J., Wang, J., & Wang, J. (2021). The influence mechanism of environmental anxiety on pro‐environmental behaviour: The role of self‐discrepancy. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 45(1), 54-64. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12604
  19. Gifford, R., & Nilsson, A. (2014). Personal and social factors that influence pro-environmental concern and behaviour. International Journal of Psychology, 49(3), 141-157. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12034
  20. Gray, S. G., Raimi, K. T., Wilson, R., & Árvai, J. (2019). Will Millennials save the world? The effect of age and generational differences on environmental concern. Journal of Environmental Management, 242, 394-402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.04.071
  21. Hair, J.F., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J. and Anderson, R.E. (2010) Multivariate Data Analysis. (7th Edition), Pearson, New York.
  22. Joshi, Y., & Rahman, Z. (2019). Consumers' sustainable purchase behaviour: Modeling the impact of psychological factors. Ecological Economics, 159, 235-243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.01.025
  23. Juma-Michilena, I. J., Ruiz-Molina, M. E., Gil-Saura, I., & Belda-Miquel, S. (2024). Pro-environmental behaviours of generation Z: A cross-cultural approach. International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, 21(3), 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-024-00395-9
  24. Juvan, E., & Dolnicar, S. (2014). The attitude–behaviour gap in sustainable tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 48, 76-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2014.05.012
  25. Kim, Y., & Choi, S. M. (2005). Antecedents of green purchase behavior: An examination of collectivism, environmental concern, and PCE. Advances in Consumer Research, 32, 592-599.
  26. Kollmuss, A., & Agyeman, J. (2002). Mind the gap: why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior?. Environmental Education Research, 8(3), 239-260. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620220145401
  27. Kwon, J., & Ahn, J. (2021). Socio-demographic characteristics and green consumption behavior in developing countries: the case of Malaysia. Social Responsibility Journal, 17(8), 1213-1231. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-02-2020-0071
  28. Legault, L., Bird, S., & Heintzelman, M. D. (2024). Pro-environmental, prosocial, pro-self, or does it depend? A more nuanced understanding of the motivations underlying residential solar panel adoption. Energy Research & Social Science, 111, 103481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2024.103481
  29. López-Bonilla, J. M., del Carmen Reyes-Rodriguez, M., & López-Bonilla, L. M. (2020). Interactions and relationships between personal factors in pro-environmental golf tourist behaviour: A gender analysis. Sustainability, 12(1), 332. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010332
  30. López-Mosquera, N., Lera-López, F., & Sánchez, M. (2015). Key factors to explain recycling, car use and environmentally responsible purchase behaviors: A comparative perspective. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 99, 29-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2015.03.007
  31. López-Rodríguez, M. D., Lozano-Díaz, A., Rodríguez-Puertas, R., & Fernández-Prados, J. S. (2025). Generational Climate Engagement in Liquid Modernity: Eco-Anxiety, Environmental Activism and Pro-Environmental Behavior Among Older Adults in Spain. Societies, 15(10), 266. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15100266
  32. Mannoni, E. (2025). “I'm worried, but”: Unpacking the gap between environmental concern and pro‐environmental behavior. Swiss Political Science Review, 31(4), 644-665. https://doi.org/10.1111/spsr.12660
  33. Mehta, P., & Chahal, H. S. (2024). Exploring the profile of green consumers: Role of demographics and factors influencing green purchase behavior. Business and Society Review, 129(2), 225-257. https://doi.org/10.1111/basr.12357
  34. Meyer, A. G. (2015). Does education increase pro-environmental behavior? Evidence from Europe. Ecological Economics. 116:108–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.04.018
  35. Mostafa, M. M. (2007). Gender differences in Egyptian consumers’ green purchase behaviour: the effects of environmental knowledge, concern and attitude. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 31(3), 220-229. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2006.00523.x
  36. Naderi, I., & Van Steenburg, E. (2018). Me first, then the environment: Young Millennials as green consumers. Young Consumers, 19(3), 280-295. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-08-2017-00722
  37. Nagy, S. (2025). The impact of socio-demographic variables on pro-environmental behaviour. Periodica Polytechnica Social and Management Sciences, 33(2), 132-143. https://doi.org/10.3311/PPso.23128
  38. Nişancı, Z., Kılavuz, M. T., Aysan, M. F., Ovayurt, M. E. T., Yüce, B., Aydın, A. B., Kavdır, A. Y., Alboğa, M. H., Akbulut, Y., Atik, E., ve Aydın, R. N. (2025). Türkiye genel sosyal saha araştırması (TGSS) 2024: Dataset. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18721350
  39. Nişancı, Z., Kılavuz, M. T., ve Yüce, B. (2025). Giriş: TGSS 2024 Araştırması. İçinde: Z. Nişancı ve M. T. Kılavuz (Eds.), Türkiye’nin Toplumsal Haritası - TGSS 2024. İSAR Yayınları.
  40. Pong, V., & Tam, K. P. (2023). Relationship between global identity and pro-environmental behavior and environmental concern: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1033564. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1033564
  41. Özkan, Ö. (2025). Determinants of Pro-Environmental Behaviours in Türkiye: The Role of Environmental Knowledge, Climate Change Scepticism, and Socio-Demographic Factors. Fiscaoeconomia, 9(2), 1128-1146. https://doi.org/10.25295/fsecon. 1539905
  42. Patel, J., Modi, A., & Paul, J. (2017). Pro-environmental behavior and socio-demographic factors in an emerging market. Asian Journal of Business Ethics, 6(2), 189-214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13520-016-0071-5
  43. Pihkala, P. (2020). Anxiety and the ecological crisis: An analysis of eco-anxiety and climate anxiety. Sustainability, 12(19), 7836. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12197836
  44. Pinho, M. (2025). Climate change anxiety and pro-environmental behaviours: disentangling gender disparities. Frontiers in Sociology, 10, 1589501. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2025.1589501
  45. Pinho, M., & Gomes, S. (2024). Environmental sustainability from a generational lens—A study comparing generation X, Y, and Z ecological commitment. Business and Society Review, 129(3), 349-372. https://doi.org/10.1111/basr.12364
  46. Prayag, G., Aquino, R. S., Hall, C. M., Chen, N., & Fieger, P. (2025). Is Gen Z really that different? Environmental attitudes, travel behaviours and sustainability practices of international tourists to Canterbury, New Zealand. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 33(6), 1016-1037. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2022.2131795
  47. Rodríguez-Barreiro, L. M., Fernández-Manzanal, R., Serra, L. M., Carrasquer, J., Murillo, M. B., Morales, M. J.,. & del Valle, J. (2013). Approach to a causal model between attitudes and environmental behaviour. A graduate case study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 48, 116-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.09.029
  48. Nichols, B. S., & Holt, J. W. (2023). A comparison of sustainability attitudes and intentions across generations and gender: a perspective from US consumers. Cuadernos de Gestión, 23(1), 51-62. https://doi.org/10.5295/cdg.211647bs
  49. Schulz, P., Nicolai, S., Tomczyk, S., Schmidt, S., Franikowski, P., & Stoll-Kleemann, S. (2024). Gender and Socioeconomic Influences on Ten Pro-Environmental Behavior Intentions: A German Comparative Study. Sustainability, 16(7), 2816. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072816
  50. Smith, M. A., & Kingston, S. (2021). Demographic, attitudinal, and social factors that predict pro-environmental behavior. Sustainability and Climate Change, 14(1), 47-54. https://doi.org/10.1089/scc.2020.0063
  51. Stern, P. (2000). Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behavior. Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 407-424.
  52. Wang, Y., Hao, F., & Liu, Y. (2021). Pro-environmental behavior in an aging world: Evidence from 31 countries. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1748. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041748
  53. Wiernik, B. M., Dilchert, S., & Ones, D. S. (2016). Age and employee green behaviors: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 194. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00194
  54. Witek, L., & Kuźniar, W. (2021). Green purchase behavior: The effectiveness of sociodemographic variables for explaining green purchases in emerging market. Sustainability (2071-1050), 13(1), 209. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010209
  55. Yang, P. Q., & Wilson, M. L. (2023). Explaining personal and public pro-environmental behaviors. Sci, 5(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/sci5010006
  56. Yu, X. (2014). Is environment ‘a city thing’in China? Rural–urban differences in environmental attitudes. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 38, 39-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2013.12.009
  57. Brick, C., Nielsen, K. S., Berger, S., Henn, L., Wolske, K. S., Lange, F.,. & Cologna, V. (2024). Current research practices on pro-environmental behavior: A survey of environmental psychologists. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 97, 102375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2024.102375
  58. Rodríguez-Barreiro, L. M., Fernández-Manzanal, R., Serra, L. M., Carrasquer, J., Murillo, M. B., Morales, M. J.,. & del Valle, J. (2013). Approach to a causal model between attitudes and environmental behaviour. A graduate case study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 48, 116-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.09.029