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Watershed Pollution and Preservation: The Awareness–Appraisal Model of Environmentally Positive Intentions and Behaviors
Author(s) -
Forsyth Donelson R.,
Garcia Margot,
Zyzniewski Linda E.,
Story Paul A.,
Kerr Natalie A.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
analyses of social issues and public policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.479
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1530-2415
pISSN - 1529-7489
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-2415.2004.00037.x
Subject(s) - watershed , streams , watershed management , pollution , environmental science , water resource management , environmental resource management , geography , environmental planning , hydrology (agriculture) , ecology , computer science , engineering , biology , computer network , geotechnical engineering , machine learning
A two‐factor awareness‐appraisal model suggests that individuals' reactions to threatening circumstances are shaped by their awareness of the threat and their appraisal of the degree of threat the circumstances pose to them. This approach, applied to watershed conservation, predicts that individuals will be willing to clean up the rivers and streams of their watershed if they are familiar with local water features (rivers, streams, ponds, lakes) and if they consider these features of the watershed to be degraded. We tested the model by measuring watershed knowledge, appraisal of watershed quality, value assigned to protecting the watershed, and behavioral intentions regarding watershed preservation in a survey of 1,128 residents of two urban watersheds. The results supported the awareness‐appraisal model: Those residents who were aware of their watershed and considered it polluted expressed the strongest pro‐preservation behavioral intentions. These relationships were held in both watersheds, but were stronger for those who resided in the more degraded watershed .