Shaping the eco-citizens of tomorrow: Factors influencing pro-environmental behaviour of children
Keywords:
Pro-environmental behavior, children, green future, eco-citizen, sustainable development, environmental education, family orientationAbstract
The aim of this qualitative exploratory research is to investigate the underlying determinants that shape children's pro-environmental behavior in Tunisia, an emerging nation currently experiencing an active ecological transition. While academic focus on sustainability has intensified globally, the mechanisms driving young children's green practices remain poorly understood within emerging-market contexts. To address this gap, four semi-directed focus groups were conducted with 22 children aged 7 to 12 in Hammamet, Tunisia. The collected data were processed using thematic content analysis. The empirical analysis successfully identified six major determinants influencing youth eco-citizenship: family orientation, school education effectiveness, awareness of biospheric consequences, affective attitudes, environmental advertisements, and direct travel experiences. Quantitatively, the results highlight family orientation and affective attitudes as the dual dominant pillars, each representing 29% of thematic occurrences, thereby underscoring the critical power of primary socialization and internal emotional connection to nature. Interestingly, tourist experiences emerged as a novel external contextual catalyst for behavioral imitation. These interconnected factors demonstrate that childern's green framework relies heavily on holistic social, psychological, and experiential interactions. Ultimately, this research provides vital theoretical contributions to the literature on childhood environmental stewardship in North Africa. Practically, the study offers key insights and concrete recommendations for policymakers, academic institutions, and environmental educators aiming to design targeted, culturally grounded interventions that cultivate sustainable development and shape the responsible eco-citizens of tomorrow.
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