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Aesthetic Experience as an Essential Factor to Trigger Positive Environmental Consciousness

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  • Po-Ching Wang

    (Department of Landscape Architecture, National Chiayi University, 300 Syuefu Road, Chiayi City 60004, Taiwan)

  • Chi-Ying Yu

    (Department of Arts and Design, National Tsing Hua University, 521 Nan-Da Road, Hsinchu City 30014, Taiwan)

Abstract

The current environmental attitude models are primarily composed of environmental knowledge, value, and intention. However, environmental aestheticians have maintained that aesthetic experience triggered by nature is the cornerstone of promoting environmental ethics. To verify this belief, this study proposes a new framework, which integrates the rational and emotional approaches, to describe the environmental attitudes of the public. Questionnaires are used to collect data from college students in Taiwan, and a total of 275 valid responses are received. The collected data are analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results support the proposed hypotheses. In addition to reconfirming the importance of environmental knowledge in the traditional models, this study confirms that aesthetic experience is also a determining dimension. The findings show that rational cognition and aesthetic perception complement and interact with each other and can strengthen environmental ethics, thereby enhancing the intention of pro-environmental behavior. The results of this study can serve as a reference for environmental protection or environmental education practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Po-Ching Wang & Chi-Ying Yu, 2018. "Aesthetic Experience as an Essential Factor to Trigger Positive Environmental Consciousness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-16, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:4:p:1098-:d:139827
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Peter De Lacy & Charlie Shackleton, 2017. "Aesthetic and Spiritual Ecosystem Services Provided by Urban Sacred Sites," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-14, September.
    5. Han, Heesup & Hsu, Li-Tzang (Jane) & Sheu, Chwen, 2010. "Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to green hotel choice: Testing the effect of environmental friendly activities," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 325-334.
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    Cited by:

    1. Eun Joo Park & Eunki Kang, 2021. "Sublime Experience for Sustainable Underground Space: Integration of the Artists’ Works in Chichu Art Museum," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Aurelija Daugelaite & Indre Grazuleviciute-Vileniske, 2021. "The Relationship between Ethics and Aesthetics in Sustainable Architecture of the Baltic Sea Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Szu-Hsien Peng, 2019. "Landscape Assessment for Stream Regulation Works in a Watershed Using the Analytic Network Process (ANP)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Quan-Hoang Vuong & Minh-Phuong Thi Duong & Ni Putu Wulan Purnama Sari & Viet-Phuong La & Minh-Hoang Nguyen, 2024. "From beauty to belief: The aesthetic and diversity values of plants and pets in shaping biodiversity loss belief among Vietnamese urban residents," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.

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