Do Gender and Age Matter in Pro-Environmental Behavior? A Non-Experimental Quantitative Study

This study explored the effect of gender and age on the pro-environmental behavior of Filipino workers in the NCR. We had two primary objectives: first, to determine if there was a notable difference in eco-friendly actions between male and female workers; and second, to assess whether an individual's age could predict their level of involvement in conservation efforts. We gathered data from a sample of 629 Filipino workers from both public and private sectors within the NCR. This sample included 260 male and 369 female participants, with ages ranging from 18 to 62 years. Our research employed a quantitative approach, specifically a cross-sectional descriptive as well as predictive design. To assess participants' pro-environmental behaviors, we used a 16-item scale developed by Nieva (2024), an adapted version of Kaiser's (2020) General Ecological Behavior (GEB) scale, which uses a 5-point rating scale. Our analysis revealed no significant difference in pro-environmental behavior between male and female workers. Additionally, a simple linear regression analysis indicated that age did not significantly predict pro-environmental behavior. This evidence suggests that a participant's age did not appear to influence their engagement in pro-environmental actions. These findings are quite encouraging, as they suggest that the capacity for caring for the environment is not limited by an individual's gender or age among the Filipino workers studied. This implies that anyone, regardless of their gender or age, has the potential to be an active partner or agent in fostering sustainability. This wide inclusivity is important for broad participation in environmental efforts, showing that programs designed to encourage pro-environmental behavior can successfully reach different groups without having to focus on specific genders or ages.

pro-environmental behavior, gender, age

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