Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Program Name/Specialization

Developmental Psychology

Faculty/School

Faculty of Arts

First Advisor

Tobias Krettenauer

Advisor Role

Graduate Advisor

Abstract

This qualitative study extends Krettenauer and colleagues' (2024) longitudinal research by examining how different developmental contexts shape divergent trajectories in adolescents' environmental engagement. We conducted semi-structured interviews with nineteen adolescents, focusing on two distinct groups: "Engagers" who showed remarkable increases in pro-environmental behavior from ages 13 to 17, and "Disengagers" who exhibited substantial decreases inengagement during the same period. While all participants reported meaningful childhood nature experiences, supportive family sustainability practices and access to environmental information through media, their developmental paths diverged significantly. Disengagers gradually deprioritized environmental concerns as other life goals took precedence, while Engagers actively expanded their environmental commitment beyond family, peer, and school influences. Our findings highlight that adolescents are not merely passive recipients of contextual influences but active creators of their environmental engagement trajectories. The study demonstrates that developmental contexts cannot be understood as independent factors; rather, they operate through dynamic, reciprocal relationships where teenagers both shape and are shaped by their environmental experiences.

Convocation Year

2025

Convocation Season

Fall

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