Exploring the Nexus Between Religiosity and Environmental Behaviors including Waste Management and Active Environmentalism: Empirical Findings from Turkish and Jordanian Muslim Samples

Year 2024, Volume: 24 Issue: 2, 489 - 507, 30.09.2024

Ali Ayten , Hamza Ferhan , Amjad Mahmud Hussain

https://doi.org/10.33415/daad.1483106

Abstract

This article investigates the nuanced interplay between religiosity and environmental behaviors, specifically waste management and active environmentalism, within the context of two distinct Muslim societies. Drawing upon correlational survey methodology and employing questionnaire techniques, data were collected from 355 individuals aged 18 to 59, with a demographic composition comprising 50.4% Turkish Muslims (N=179) and 49.6% Jordanian Muslims (N=176). The mean age of the sample is 25.6 (SD= 7.75). Utilizing measures such as the “Environmental Behavior Scale”, and “Brief Religiosity Scale”, the study sheds light on the differential impact of religiosity on environmental practices across socio-cultural contexts. Results revealed a positive correlation between religiosity and both waste management and active environmentalism among the Jordanian sample, whereas a positive association was observed solely between religiosity and waste management within the Turkish sample. The implications of these findings are discussed, alongside recommendations for future research endeavors in this domain.

Keywords

Psychology of Religion, Religiosity, Climate Change, Global Warming, Environmental Behavior Scale, Waste Management, Active Environmentalism

Dindarlık ile Çevreci Davranışlar Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi: Türk ve Ürdünlü Örneklemler Üzerine Nicel Bir Araştırma

Abstract

Bu makale, iki farklı Müslüman toplum bağlamında dindarlık ile çevresel davranışlar, özellikle atık yönetimi ve aktif çevrecilik arasındaki etkileşimi incelemektedir. Araştırmada korelasyonel araştırma yöntemi ve anket tekniği kullanıldı. Demografik bileşimi %50,4'ü Türk Müslüman (N=179) ve %49,6'sı Ürdünlü Müslümanlardan (N=176) oluşan, yaşları 18 ile 59 arasında değişen 355 kişiden veri toplandı. Örneklemin yaş ortalaması 25,6'dır (SS= 7,75). “Çevresel Davranış Ölçeği” ve “Kısa Dindarlık Ölçeği”nden yararlanan çalışma, dindarlığın sosyo-kültürel bağlamlarda çevre yanlısı tutum ve davranışlar üzerindeki farklı etkisine ışık tutuyor. Sonuçlar, Ürdün örneğinde dindarlık ile atık yönetimi ve aktif çevrecilik arasında pozitif bir ilişki olduğunu ortaya koyarken, Türk örneğinde yalnızca dindarlık ile atık yönetimi arasında pozitif bir ilişki olduğuna işaret etti. Araştırma bulguların sonuçları, bu alanda gelecekteki araştırma teşebbüsleri için önerilerle birlikte tartışılmaktadır.

Keywords

Dindarlık, İklim Değişikliği, Küresel Isınma, Çevresel Davranış Ölçeği, Atık Yönetimi, Aktif Çevrecilik

استكشاف العلاقة بين التدين والسلوكيات البيئية بما في ذلك إدارة النفايات وحماية البيئة النشطة: نتائج تجريبية من عينات مسلمة تركية وأردنية

Abstract

تبحث هذه المقالة التفاعل الدقيق بين التدين والسلوكيات البيئية، وتحديدًا إدارة النفايات وحماية البيئة النشطة، وذلك ضمن سياق مجتمعين إسلاميين متميزين. وقامت الدراسة بالاعتماد على منهجية المسح الارتباطي واستخدام تقنية الاستبيان، فقد تم جمع البيانات من 355 فردًا تتراوح أعمارهم بين 18 و59 عامًا، ضمن تكوين ديموغرافي يضم 50.4% مسلمين أتراك (العدد = 179) و49.6% مسلمين أردنيين (العدد = 176). متوسط عمر العينة هو 25.6 (SD = 7.75). وباستخدام مقاييس مثل "مقياس السلوك البيئي" و"مقياس التدين القصير"، تلقي الدراسة الضوء على التأثير التفاضلي للتدين على الممارسات البيئية عبر السياقات الاجتماعية والثقافية. وقد أظهرت النتائج وجود علاقة إيجابية بين التدين وكل من إدارة النفايات والبيئة النشطة لدى العينة الأردنية، في حين لوحظ وجود علاقة إيجابية فقط بين التدين وإدارة النفايات ضمن العينة التركية. وتناقش الآثار المترتبة على هذه النتائج، جنبا إلى جنب مع توصيات للمساعي البحثية المستقبلية في هذا المجال

Keywords

التدين, التغير المناخي،, الاحتباس الحراري, مقياس السلوك البيئي, إدارة النفايات, البيئة النشطة

References

• al-Hodhaif, F., ‘Environmental Values Among Students of Physical Education and Movement Sciences at Qassim University and Their Relationship to The Level of Religiosity’. Journal of The Faculty of Education- Ain Shams University: Education and Psychology 35/9 (2019), 579-606.
• Arli, D. - Pentecos, R. - Thaichon, P. ‘Does religion make consumers more environmentally friendly?’. Marketing Intelligence and Planning 39/8 (2021), 1024-1041.
• Arli, D. - Van Esch, P. - Cui, Y. ‘Who Cares More about the Environment, Those with an Intrinsic, an Extrinsic, a Quest, or an Atheistic Religious Orientation? Investigating the Effect of Religious Ad Appeals on Attitudes toward the Environment’. Journal of Business Ethics 185 (2023), 427–448.
• Aydemir, Ayşe Büşra. ‘Yetişkinlerde İklim Değişikliği Endişesi Dini Başa Çıkma ve Dindarlık İlişkisi [The Link between Religiosity, Religious Coping and Worry about Climate Change: A Study on Adults] (İstanbul: Marmara University Social Science Institute, Master Thesis, 2022).
• Ayten, Ali. Prososyal Davranıslarda Dindarlık ve Empatinin Rolü [The Role of Religiosity and Empathy on Prosocial Behaviors]. (Doctorate Thesis, Istanbul: Marmara University, 2009).
• Ayten, Ali. ‘Sahip olma’mi ‘Emanet Görme’ mi? Çevre bilinci ve dindarlik üzerine bir araştirma [Possession or Custodianship: An Empirical study on the relationship between environmental orientation, environmental behaviours, and religiosity]’. Din Bilimleri Akademik Araştirma Dergisi 10/2 (2010), 203-233.
• Ayten, Ali – Yıldız, Refik. ‘Dindarlık, Hayat Memnuniyeti İlişkisinde Dinî Başa Çıkmanın Rolü Nedir? Emekliler Üzerinde Bir Araştırma [What is the Role of Religious Coping Activities on the Relationship between Religiosity and Life Satisfaction? A Study on Retirees]’ Din Bilimleri Akademik Araştırma Dergisi 16/1 (2016), 281-308.
• Ayten, Ali - Hussain, Amjad. ‘The Relationship Between Religiosity, Environmental Orientation, and Environmental Behaviors: An Empirical Study with Turkish and British Muslim Samples’, Marmara Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi 53/2 (2017), 27-44.
• Ayten, Ali – Hardal, Fatma. ‘Ruhsal Rahatsızlıklara Yönelik Bilgi Düzeyi ve Dindarlığın Ruhsal Rahatsızlıklara İlişkin Damgalama İle İlişkisi: Üniversite Öğrencileri Üzerine Nicel Bir Araştırma [The Links between the level of knowledge on mental health diseases, religiosity, and stigmatization: A Quantitative Study among Undergraduate Students]’ Dinbilimleri Akademik Araştırma Dergisi 20/2 (2020), 551-571.
• Ayten, Ali. Doğa Bize Emanet: Dinî ve Psikolojik Yönleriyle İnsan-Doğa İlişkisi. [Nature as Amanah: Exploring the Relationship between Humanity and the Environment from Religious and Psychological Perspectives] (İstanbul: İz Yayıncılık, 2021), 203-233.
• Baylor, R. J. - Brandhorst, S. R. ‘Religiosity, and Environmental Attitudes: Engagement in Proenvironmental Behavior’. Journal of Psychological Research 20/2 (2015), 58-64.
• Briguglio, M., Garcia Muñoz, T. – Neuman, S., ‘Environmental Engagement, Religion and Spirituality in the Context of Secularization, Environ. Res. Lett 15 (2020), 1-12.
• Çiçek, Şule - Ayten, Ali. ‘Religiosity, Economic Status, Environmental Concern, and Perceived Behavioral Effectiveness as Predictors of Buying Environmentally Friendly Products: A Quantitative Study of Turkish Muslims’. Ilahiyat Studies 14/2 (2023), 395-417.
• Ferhan, Hamza. İstanbul ve Amman’daki Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Dini Hayatı [Religious Practices among Students Residing in Istanbul and Amman]. Ankara: Sonçağ Akademi, 2021.
• Izzi Dien, M. The Environmental Dimensions of Islam. Cambridge: The Lutterworth Press, 2000.
• Kanagy, C. L. - Willits, F. K. A. ‘Greening’ of religion? Some evidence from a Pennsylvania sample. Social Science Quarterly 74/3 (1993), 674-683.
• Karimi, S. - Liobikiene, G. - Alitavakoli, F. The Effect of Religiosity on Pro-Environmental Behavior Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior: A Cross-Sectional Study among Iranian Rural Female Facilitators. Frontiers in Psychology 13 (2022), 1-12.
• Kavalcı, H. N. Çevreci Davranışlarda Bulunma ve Dindarlık İlişkisi [The Link between Religiousity and Environmental Behaviors]. Bursa: Uludağ Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Yayınlanmamış Yüksek Lisans Tezi, 2019.
• Nasr, S. H. İnsan ve Tabiat [The Human Being and Nature]. İstanbul: Yeryüzü Yayınları, 1982.
• Ogunbode, T. O. - Oyekan, F. E. Religious Practices and Its Impacts on a Sustainable Urban Environment in Nigeria: The Way Forward. Hindawi The Scientific World Journal (2023), 1-8.
• Shehu, M. Religious Influence on Environmental Attitudes and Behavior: Dominion or Stewardship? Annals of Social Sciences & Management Studies 8/2 (2023), 1-11.
• Skirbekk, V. - Sherbinin, A. - Adamo, S. B. - Navarro, J. - Chai-Onn, T. Religious Affiliation and Environmental Challenges in the 21st Century. Journal of Religion and Demography 7 (2017), 238-271.
• Tsimpo, C. - Wodon. Q. Faith affiliation, religiosity, and attitudes towards the environment and climate change. The Review of Faith - International Affairs. 1/3 (2016), 51-64.
• White, L. The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis. Science 155/3767 (1967), 1203–07.
• Woodrum, E. - Hoban, T. Theology and Religiosity Effects on Environmentalism, Review of Religious Research 35 /3 (1994), 193–206.
• Yang, Y. - Huang, S. Religious Beliefs and Environmental Behaviors in China. Religions. 9/3 (2018), 1-12.