Does the framing of environmental ethics matter for the effectiveness of environmental education? Evidence from field experiments in elementary schools

Engineering notes

This finding suggests that anthropocentric framing can motivate students in the short run, but it should be noted that this does not imply that it is ethically superior.

Chinese explanation / 中文解读

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Original abstract

The importance of environmental ethics is broadly acknowledged in environmental education. Nevertheless, little is known about whether differences in teachers' framing of ethical perspectives can lead to significant differences in outcomes. This study addresses this gap through field experiments evaluating the short-term impact of classes on local conservation issues among students and their parents in 21 public elementary schools in Kushiro, Japan. Schools were randomly assigned to two groups: one began with a discussion of what blessings their local wetland brings to themselves (anthropocentric framing), and the other with what it brings to living creatures (ecocentric framing), with the remaining class content being the same. Results show that, although it was not observed that such differences in framing spilled over to parents, student interest improved only with anthropocentric framing. This finding suggests that anthropocentric framing can motivate students in the short run, but it should be noted that this does not imply that it is ethically superior. Rather, it suggests that educators who focus primarily on motivating student interest may unintentionally default to anthropocentric messaging, despite the value of ecocentrism. The results highlight the need to be intentional about how ethical perspectives are framed in practice, as well as the importance of a solid understanding of environmental ethics among educators.

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