"We leave it as we found it": Values motivations and pro-environmental behaviour in the Ross Sea region

Abstract

The natural environment of Antarctic is inhospitable to human life. At the same time, it is an indicator of global climate conditions, a vital field location for various disciplines in science, and a focus of often strong personal and professional passions. It is quite obviously a place to which human beings attach values. Yet, these values have never been formally studied. The study to be reported begins to address this gap in our knowledge. Using a combination of a semi-structured interview protocol and laddering techniques, 41 (f=15 m=26 mean age=37.6yrs sd=10.4) field scientists and support personnel were interviewed about the values that underpin their environmentally related behaviours in Antarctica. The data were analysed via thematic coding using definitions derived from Schwartz’s (1994) value theory. The results indicate that participants tended to use Self-Transcendent values to guide their pro-environmental behaviours. Other possible influential values were connected to the Conservative value domain. These results suggest that, in order to be most effective, messages directed towards scientific personnel need to emphasize the more global benefits of acting in a pro-environmental manner.