Values & Environmental Perspectives (HL IB ESS OLD COURSE - IGNORE)
Revision Note
Written by: Alistair Marjot
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Understanding Values
What are values?
Values are qualities or principles that people believe have worth and importance in life
They guide our behaviours, attitudes and decisions
Examples include honesty, integrity, fairness and compassion
Influence of values
Values affect people’s priorities, judgements, perspectives and choices
They are deeply personal, but a variety of cultural and social factors also play a role.
For example, in some cultures, respect for elders is highly valued, shaping how individuals interact within society
In line with the principles of sustainability and conservation, movements like Greta Thunberg's Fridays for the Future call for immediate action on climate change
Values in community
Within our communities, we share and shape our values
They are reflected in how we communicate and interact with others, both within our own community and with external communities
For example, a community that values environmental sustainability may organise clean-up events or support green policies
Values in organisations
Organisations also have values, which can be seen in their communication and actions
These values are often expressed through advertisements, social media, policies and organisational decisions
For example, a company that values diversity and inclusion may have policies supporting equal opportunities and representation in their workforce
Companies like Patagonia demonstrate values of environmental stewardship through initiatives like donating a portion of profits to environmental causes
Tensions from different values
Different values often lead to tensions between individuals or between organisations
Conflicts can happen when important values clash, like when some people want to freely express themselves but others want to be respectful of different cultures
In multicultural societies, navigating these tensions requires understanding and respecting diverse values
Value Surveys
Understanding perspectives on environmental issues
Values surveys investigate the perspectives of social groups towards various environmental issues
They help us understand how environmental concerns are viewed and prioritised by individuals or communities
For example, a survey could explore attitudes towards renewable energy adoption, waste reduction, or conservation efforts
Another survey could ask about attitudes towards using public transportation to reduce carbon emissions
Effective design of value surveys
A well-designed environmental value survey is able to:
Take different viewpoints into account
Look at the whole range of opinions within a group about environmental matters
The results of an effective survey should be able to:
Give insights into attitudes, beliefs and values that influence how people view and respond to local and global environmental challenges
Implementation of surveys
Surveys, questionnaires, or interviews can be used to gather data on environmental attitudes
Using online survey tools can be very useful for:
Collecting data from a wider audience
Collecting a greater volume of data
Collecting data in a shorter amount of time
Efficient analysis of data
Closed-ended questions are good for quantitative analysis (i.e. they provide structured data that can be easily quantified and analysed statistically)
Closed-ended questions are those that provide respondents with a fixed set of options to choose from
Examples include multiple-choice questions, rating scales and Likert scale items
For example, in a survey about environmental attitudes, closed-ended questions could include:
Which of the following renewable energy sources do you believe is most effective in reducing carbon emissions? (a) Solar (b) Wind (c) Hydroelectric (d) Geothermal
Indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement: "Using public transportation is an effective way to reduce air pollution". Strongly agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly disagree
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very likely, how likely are you to recycle paper products?
Responses to these questions can be easily quantified (given a value or score)
This allows statistical analysis to be used on the data
This helps identify trends, correlations and patterns in attitudes towards specific environmental issues
For example, there is an environmental education campaign designed to increase recycling rates
It is important to measure the effectiveness of this campaign
A survey can be used to collect quantitative data on attitudes towards recycling
This can then be correlated with data on actual actual recycling rates
Surveys or interviews can also include open-ended questions to help capture more detailed responses
These types of response are more difficult to analyse
However, they can still be valuable for gaining deeper insights into individual viewpoints
Behaviour-time graphs
If value surveys are repeated over time, the results can be used to produce behaviour-time graphs
Behaviour-time graphs show changes in behaviours or lifestyles over time
They help to visualise trends, patterns and shifts in behaviour related to environmental actions
Behaviour-time graphs can track changes in daily habits over a set period of time, such as:
Energy consumption
Waste generation
Transportation choices
For example, a graph could illustrate a decrease in household electricity usage over several months
This could be due to energy-saving measures like installing LED lights or adjusting thermostat settings
These graphs can also illustrate changes in environmental behaviours, such as:
Recycling rates
Composting practices
Water conservation efforts
Behaviour-time graphs can be valuable tools for:
Monitoring progress towards sustainability goals
Evaluating the effectiveness of environmental initiatives
They can help to:
Visualise the impact of interventions
Identify areas for further improvement
Examiner Tips and Tricks
It is important to consider the diversity of perspectives within a social group when designing value surveys and analysing the results. You cannot assume that everyone will have had the same experiences or facing the same challenges. This means their views may be very different, even if they are from the same group or community.
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