Uncovering Behavioral Constructs Underlying Social and Environmental Activism: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

Presentation Year

2026

College or Department

College of Professional Studies

Short Description of your Research or Creative Project (700 characters or less)

The Humboldt Graduation Pledge, introduced in 1987, was one of the first efforts in higher education to encourage long-term commitment to social justice and environmental responsibility by asking graduating students to pledge to these values, and it has served as a model for similar pledges since. Earlier research has examined short-term effects of pledges on behavior and intention, but far less is known about long-term pledge-related behaviors. Humboldt alumni (N = 1,240) of all years completed an online survey assessing social justice and environmental behaviors, using items primarily adapted from previously published scales. The present study conducts an exploratory factor analysis to examine how these adapted items cluster. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on the social justice and the environmental actions scales separately, and then on the combined scales. The social justice scale yielded a one-factor solution. The environmental responsibility items produced a two-factor solution. Factor 1 represented public-oriented environmental activism behaviors, whereas Factor 2 reflected private environmental conservation/efficiency behaviors. A subsequent EFA on the combined scales resulted in a four-factor solution, representing interpersonal social justice behaviors, concrete private environmental behaviors, civic engagement, and workplace-based activism. The factor analysis indicates that environmental behaviors can be sorted into both public and private. When the social justice and environmental behavior scales were combined, workplace-based activism explained the majority of the variance. This has implications for how to encourage social and environmental activism in society going forward.

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Permission to Publish Work

Yes

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psychology-switzer-tryon-harmony-202996-3x4.pdf (242.58 KB)

Primary Contact: First Name

Harmony

Primary Contact: Last Name

Switzer- Tryon

Primary Contact: Email

harmonytryon@gmail.com

Primary Contact: I am a

Undergraduate Student

Primary Contact: Phone Number

7075991652

Indicate File Dimensions

4'x3'