Undergraduate Students' Perceptions and Mental Models of the Environment

대학생들의 환경에 대한 인식과 정신 모형

This study investigated undergraduate students' perceptions and mental models of the environment. A total of 192 students were sampled from a university of Gyoungbuk area. The environmental task was administrated to students drew a picture of an environment and explained their drawing. The results are as follows: First, a majority of undergraduate students perceived an environment from a comfortable environment. Second, five mental models emerged from a content analysis of students' responses about environmental drawing. Third, the dominant model was mental model 4, the environment as a place where animals, plants, and humans live. This means that the majority of students perceived a 'relation' rather than 'objects' views of the environment. Therefore, undergraduate students' conceptualizations about environment depends on a view or mental models of the environment which places humans in a sustaining relationship with the environment and its natural resources. The implications of these findings for environmental education are discussed.