Using the Multidimensional AIMES to Estimate Connection-to-Nature in an Australian Population: A Latent Class Approach to Segmentation
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. The Multidimensional AIMES Connection to Nature Scale
1.2. The Benefits of Segmentation for Target-Group Specific Engagement Approaches
- Based on the AIMES, how are latent classes defined to represent individual connections to nature?
- What is the relationship between CN subgroup membership and key environmental variables (i.e., environmental values, time spent in nature, types of places of connection, types of activities undertaken in nature, pro-environmental intentions and behaviours) and socio-demographic characteristics.
1.3. The Study Context
2. Methods
3. Results
3.1. How Are Latent Classes Defined to Represent Individual Connections to Nature?
3.2. What Is the Relationship between CN Subgroup Membership and Key Environmental Variables and Demographic Characteristics?
4. Discussion
4.1. Generalisation from the Sample to the Population
4.2. Consistent Predictors of Class Membership
4.3. Value Orientations and CN Class Membership
5. Conclusions
Future Research
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Class | Model LL | AIC | BIC | SABIC | Entropy | Smallest Class (%) | LMR (p) | VLMR (p) | BLRT (p) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | −55,224.43 | 110,528.86 | 110,742.57 | 110,615.50 | - | - | - | - | - |
2 | −50,411.21 | 100,944.43 | 101,270.34 | 101,076.55 | 0.930 | 43.56 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
3 | −48,955.12 | 98,074.23 | 98,512.34 | 98,251.85 | 0.906 | 22.01 | 0.377 | 0.375 | 0.000 |
4 | −48,157.69 | 96,521.38 | 97,071.68 | 96,744.48 | 0.914 | 7.83 | 0.132 | 0.131 | 0.000 |
5 | −47,854.37 | 95,956.73 | 96,619.24 | 96,225.32 | 0.909 | 3.11 | 0.231 | 0.229 | 0.000 |
Class | Model LL | AIC | BIC | SABIC | Entropy | Smallest Class (%) | LMR (p) | VLMR (p) | BLRT (p) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | −55,086.17 | 110,252.34 | 110,466.05 | 110,338.98 | - | - | - | - | - |
2 | −50,758.43 | 101,638.86 | 101,964.77 | 101,770.98 | 0.915 | 49.06 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
3 | −49,229.68 | 98,623.36 | 99,061.47 | 98,800.98 | 0.917 | 16.96 | 0.006 | 0.006 | 0.000 |
4 | −48,501.56 | 97,209.12 | 97,759.43 | 97,432.22 | 0.911 | 5.31 | 0.303 | 0.301 | 0.000 |
5 | −48,220.45 | 96,688.91 | 97,351.41 | 96,957.49 | 0.875 | 3.75 | 0.210 | 0.210 | 0.000 |
Subsample | Class 1 (High) | Class 2 (Low) | Class 3 (Medium) |
---|---|---|---|
n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | |
1 | 872 (56.4) | 673 (43.6) | - |
1 | 516 (33.4) | 340 (22.0) | 689 (44.6) |
2 | 787 (50.9) | 758 (49.1) | - |
2 | 545 (35.3) | 262 (16.9) | 738 (47.8) |
Variable | Description | Goodness-of-Fit | |
---|---|---|---|
Age | Please specify your age: _______ years Responses were post-coded into the following categories: | - | |
18–24 | 50–54 | ||
25–29 | 55–59 | ||
30–34 | 60–64 | ||
35–39 | 65–69 | ||
40–44 | 70–74 | ||
45–49 | 75 plus | ||
Gender | Please specify your gender: 1. Female 2. Male 3. Other (specify) a | - | |
Childhood in Australia | Did you spend any of your childhood living in Australia? 1. Yes 2. No | - | |
Pro-environmental Intentions | The likelihood of undertaking 11 public (e.g., “volunteering in community-based activities”) and private (e.g., “reducing energy use”) activities over the next 12 months were measured on 7-point scales. The construct reliabilities equalled 0.87 and 0.68, respectively. | χ2 (df) = 382.98 (31) p < 0.05; CFI = 0.98; RMSEA = 0.06; SRMR = 0.04 | |
Time Spent in Nature | Measured with a single item: “In the last year, about how often have you generally spent time in nature?” Response options were 1 (never); 2 (less than once a year); 3 (at least once a year); 4 (at least twice a year); 5 (at least once a month); 6 (at least once a fortnight); 7 (at least once a week); 8 (every other day); and 9 (every day). | - | |
Values Orientations | Biospheric (α = 0.91), Social-Altruistic (α = 0.82), and Egocentric (α = 0.72) value orientations were measured following Stern, et al. [42]. | χ2 (df) = 394.16 (49) p < 0.05; CFI = 0.97; RMSEA = 0.07; SRMR = 0.05 |
Variable | Estimate | S.E. | Est./S.E. | p-Value |
---|---|---|---|---|
Class 1 (Low CN) compared to Class 3 (High CN) | ||||
1. Intercept | 6.258 | 0.566 | 11.055 | 0.000 |
2. Age | −0.171 | 0.027 | −6.274 | 0.000 |
3. Gender | −0.294 | 0.170 | −1.725 | 0.085 |
4. Australian Childhood | −0.512 | 0.211 | −2.421 | 0.015 |
5. Public pro-environmental intentions | −1.299 | 0.136 | −9.577 | 0.000 |
6. Private pro-environmental intentions | −0.456 | 0.159 | −2.869 | 0.004 |
7. Time spent in nature | −0.782 | 0.055 | −14.097 | 0.000 |
8. Biospheric value orientation | −3.010 | 0.153 | −19.715 | 0.000 |
9. Egocentric value orientation | −0.289 | 0.114 | −2.537 | 0.011 |
Class 2 (Medium CN) compared to Class 3 (High CN) | ||||
1. Intercept | 4.433 | 0.404 | 10.978 | 0.000 |
2. Age | −0.073 | 0.018 | −4.062 | 0.000 |
3. Gender | −0.059 | 0.114 | −0.515 | 0.607 |
4. Australian Childhood | −0.138 | 0.134 | −1.027 | 0.304 |
5. Public pro-environmental intentions | −0.549 | 0.089 | −6.182 | 0.000 |
6. Private pro-environmental intentions | −0.051 | 0.114 | −1.322 | 0.186 |
7. Time spent in nature | −0.385 | 0.039 | −9.891 | 0.000 |
8. Biospheric value orientation | −1.789 | 0.101 | −17.793 | 0.000 |
9. Egocentric value orientation | −0.128 | 0.069 | −1.860 | 0.063 |
Variable | Estimate | S.E. | Est./S.E. | p-Value |
---|---|---|---|---|
Class 1 (Low CN) compared to Class 3 (High CN) | ||||
1. Intercept | 5.889 | 0.499 | 11.795 | 0.000 |
2. Age | −0.208 | 0.024 | −8.497 | 0.000 |
3. Gender | −0.310 | 0.151 | −2.054 | 0.040 |
4. Australian Childhood | −0.455 | 0.181 | −2.510 | 0.012 |
5. Public pro-environmental intentions | −1.165 | 0.120 | −9.722 | 0.000 |
6. Private pro-environmental intentions | 1.034 | 0.143 | −7.220 | 0.000 |
7. Time spent in nature | −0.671 | 0.048 | −14.017 | 0.000 |
8. Social-Altruistic value orientation | −1.335 | 0.108 | −12.317 | 0.000 |
9. Egocentric value orientation | −0.277 | 0.096 | −2.885 | 0.004 |
Class 2 (Medium CN) compared to Class 3 (High CN) | ||||
1. Intercept | 3.866 | 0.362 | 10.673 | 0.000 |
2. Age | −0.082 | 0.016 | −5.092 | 0.000 |
3. Gender | −0.025 | 0.104 | −0.241 | 0.809 |
4. Australian Childhood | −0.152 | 0.120 | −1.275 | 0.202 |
5. Public pro-environmental intentions | −0.526 | 0.079 | −6.651 | 0.000 |
6. Private pro-environmental intentions | −0.439 | 0.111 | −3.945 | 0.000 |
7. Time spent in nature | −0.346 | 0.036 | −9.710 | 0.000 |
8. Social-Altruistic value orientation | −0.927 | 0.084 | −10.980 | 0.000 |
9. Egocentric value orientation | −0.079 | 0.063 | −1.249 | 0.212 |
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Jorgensen, B.S.; Meis-Harris, J. Using the Multidimensional AIMES to Estimate Connection-to-Nature in an Australian Population: A Latent Class Approach to Segmentation. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 12307. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912307
Jorgensen BS, Meis-Harris J. Using the Multidimensional AIMES to Estimate Connection-to-Nature in an Australian Population: A Latent Class Approach to Segmentation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(19):12307. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912307
Chicago/Turabian StyleJorgensen, Bradley S., and Julia Meis-Harris. 2022. "Using the Multidimensional AIMES to Estimate Connection-to-Nature in an Australian Population: A Latent Class Approach to Segmentation" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 19: 12307. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912307