Author(s)

HAN-SHEN CHEN

Abstract

This study discussed the relationship among environmental cognition, attitude, sensitivity, and behavior based on the concept of ecotourism. Structured questionnaires were utilized to investigate participants’ traveling experiences in the Green Island, Taiwan. A total of 750 questionnaires were issued to generate 476 valid samples with 63.4% of response rate. The results showed that three out of five causal paths were significantly supported with statistical evidences. Environmental cognition had a significant effect on environmental sensitivity while environmental attitude and environmental sensitivity appeared significantly effect on environmental behavior. Meanwhile, the results discovered that the relationship between tourists’ environmental cognition and behavior was not yet found in this study. In addition, this research also verified the indirect influence of environmental sensitivity on environmental behavior. That is, the more the tourists understand the meaning of ecotourism, the higher their sensitive levels about the environment are expected.

Keywords

eco-resort island, environmental attitude, environmental behavior, environmental cognition, environmental sensitivity