The Study of relationship between ecological literacy, social capital and social satisfaction with environmental concerns

The concept of environmental concern has been studied for many years with various theoretical background in the social sciences and psychology, but in recently years this concept separated from other concepts related to the environment and considered as a variable consisting of objective and subjective concepts and formed of horizontal and vertical dimensions. 

This manuscript  study the constructive components of the horizontal dimension of environmental concerns, including: emotional stimuli, cognitive components, behavioral will, and practical behavior according to Shafferin's theory. The statistical population of the research of Tabriz University students and its statistical sample was determined using 387 Cochran's formula and the quotas of all university faculties were examined using sampling. Data collection tools are questioners that using standard environmental assessment questions, social capital, and life satisfaction from previous research. Data analysis was performed with SPSS software.

The research findings show that the environmental concern of Tabriz University students is 37.17 and it is more than the average can be obtained. According to the findings there is a significant difference between the obtained average of men and women answers. The findings also show that the environmental literacy have standard coefficient 0.281 and has a significant relationship with students' environmental concerns, but the two variables satisfaction of life and social capital have not had a significant effect on the environmental concerns of students at Tabriz University.  

The type and extent of environmental concerns of individuals depends on their awareness of the processes of their living environment, so the most important factor in protecting the environment is to increase people's knowledge and ecological literacy.