Effects of Green School and Parents on Children’s Perceptions of Human-Nature Relationships in China

We examine the effects of schools and parents, two of the most important sources of influence, on views of the human-nature relationship (HNR) of 6th grade primary school children in China. Adopting five items of the modified New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale, we validate the HNR scale using both preadolescent and adult populations. On average, children score higher on the HNR indicators than their parents but both are correlated. Attending a green school and parents’ HNR scores have significant positive impact on children’s HNR scores. Furthermore, obtaining higher education is associated with parents’ HNR scores, which can evidently be transmitted to children. Thus, the study makes a strong case for more equitable education, and environmental education in particular, that nurtures environmentally friendly worldviews among the future generations in China.