Abstract

It is often believed that increased environmental knowledge leads to better pro-environmental behaviour. However, there are no studies that determine the relationship between environmental knowledge and pro-environmental behaviour in adolescents. One of the objectives of the present study was to evaluate the effect of environmental knowledge on the pro-environmental behaviour of students in the Valparaiso region of Chile. Another objective was to analyze the effect of schools' socioeconomic group and type (i.e., municipal or private) on students' environmental knowledge and pro-environmental behaviour. The third objective was to compare the environmental knowledge and pro-environmental behaviour of students in high schools with and without environmental certification. We surveyed 1951 students from 21 high schools of different levels of certification, socioeconomic groups and types. We used a quantitative method based on questionnaires that contained questions on environmental knowledge and pro-environmental behaviour. The questions were related to garbage recycling, paper recycling, scarcity of water, use of electricity, used battery disposal and use of detergents. Environmental knowledge did not affect students' pro-environmental behaviour (R-2 = 0.06; p < 0.0001). On the other hand, school socioeconomic group and type did affect students' environmental knowledge and pro-environmental behaviour (ANOVA, p > 0.05). Schools belonging to the upper-middle socioeconomic group and private schools exhibited greater environmental knowledge and better pro-environmental behaviour, in comparison with the schools belonging to the lower-middle socioeconomic group and municipal schools. However, the students of certified schools did not demonstrate greater environmental knowledge and better pro-environmental behaviour than the students of uncertified schools.