# The role of nature relatedness on environmental ethics awareness and environmental behavior among young adults: a moderated mediation model of environmental organization membership

## TL;DR

This study explores how a personal connection to nature influences environmental behavior through ethical awareness, especially among those in environmental organizations.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in identifying environmental ethics awareness as a mediator and organization membership as a moderator in the nature-behavior relationship.

## Key findings

- Nature relatedness positively correlates with environmental ethics awareness and behavior.
- Environmental ethics awareness mediates the relationship between nature relatedness and environmental behavior.
- Environmental organization membership strengthens the mediated relationship.

## Abstract

This study seeks to clarify the role of environmental ethics awareness as a mediator and environmental organization membership as a moderator in the relationship between nature relatedness and environmental behavior among young adults.

The participants consist of 693 young adults (Mage = 22.45 ± 4.37, 60.8% were female). We collected data using a personal information form, the Environmental Ethics Awareness Scale, the Nature Relatedness Scale, and Environmental Behavior Scale. We examined relationships among variables using Pearson's correlation and moderated mediation analysis using Hayes's bootstrapping.

The correlation analyses revealed positive relationships between nature relatedness, environmental ethics awareness, environmental behavior, and environmental organization membership. Environmental ethics awareness mediates the correlation between nature relatedness and environmental behavior. The mediational relationship was further conditioned by environmental organization membership.

The findings highlight how both personal connection to nature and ethical awareness are related to environmental behavior, with these associations being more pronounced among organization members.