Psycho-demographic profiles of ibadan residents and their Environmental behaviour

Abstract

This study examines the psycho-demographic profiles (gender, socio-economic status, intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy) of Ibadan residents on environmental behaviour. The sample for the study consisted of 257 participants purposively selected from three local government that is Ibadan south-west, Ibadan north and Ibadan south-east local government. Respondents gender composition is 130 males and 127 females and it comprises of both illiterates and literates. A descriptive research design was adopted for this study. A research question and three hypotheses were conjectured. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis using Pearson Product Moment correlation coefficient (PPMC) and Multiple Regression statistical analysis of SPSS. The results showed the pattern of environmental behaviour of residents in Ibadan. Respondents agreed that human beings are severely abusing the environment(Mean = 3.33; SD = .77). Also, they voted massively for solving environmental problems through scientific and technology development (Mean = 3.12; SD = 8.3). The result further indicated that self-efficacy and motivation correlated significantly with environmental behaviour. Also there is significant joint effect of the independent variables on the resident's environmental behaviour. Results showed that each of the independent variables made a significant contribution to the prediction of residents' environmental behaviour among the Ibadan residents. On the basis of these finding, it was recommended that environmental behaviour should led to public policy and educational efforts that may help to minimize or abate the impact of humans on the environment and also behavioural psychologist should also focus on educational effort on impact of local environmental problems on human values and provide a list of specific environmental and avoidance behaviour that are part of peoples' daily routine.