The role of nature relatedness on environmental ethics awareness and environmental behavior among young adults: a moderated mediation model of environmental organization membership

Objectives This study seeks to clarify the role of environmental ethics awareness as a mediator and environmental organization membership as a moderator in the relationship between nature relatedness and environmental behavior among young adults.Methods The participants consist of 693 young adults (Mage = 22.45 +/- 4.37, 60.8% were female). We collected data using a personal information form, the Environmental Ethics Awareness Scale, the Nature Relatedness Scale, and Environmental Behavior Scale. We examined relationships among variables using Pearson's correlation and moderated mediation analysis using Hayes's bootstrapping.Results The correlation analyses revealed positive relationships between nature relatedness, environmental ethics awareness, environmental behavior, and environmental organization membership. Environmental ethics awareness mediates the correlation between nature relatedness and environmental behavior. The mediational relationship was further conditioned by environmental organization membership.Conclusions The findings highlight how both personal connection to nature and ethical awareness are related to environmental behavior, with these associations being more pronounced among organization members.