Determination of Ecological Worldview of the Agriculture Faculty Students

Abstract

New Ecological Paradigm Scale (NEP) is commonly used to determine people‘s environmental opinion and their behaviors about it. Environment-friendly and sustainable agricultural production techniques are one of the most important issue in agricultural engineering. In this study, agricultural engineer candidates‘ environmental behaviors were determined by using of NEP scale. Data was collected from 350 undergraduate students in 2015-2016 school year. Environmental behavior mean was found as 3,38 that indicates slightly better than average environmental behavior. Four sub dimensions were determined with Explanatory Factor Analysis and variance was found 68%. According to First and Second-Order Confirmatory Factor Analysis, data showed results that confirm models. Second-Order Confirmatory Factor Analysis explanatory rate was found 78%. Despite all technological development, mankind still under the influence of natural laws and there is a serious environmental degradation by human activities. Agricultural engineer candidates showed a behavior that is balanced between environmental awareness and meeting humans‘ nutrition needs.