본 연구는 만 3세, 4세, 5세 유아들의 환경 친화적 태도, 환경 보전 지식, 환경 친화적 행동에 대한 연령별 차이를 알아보고자 하는데 그 목적이 있었다. 연구 대상은 C시에 소재한 유치원 2곳과 어린이집 2곳에 다니는 만 3세 49명, 만 4세 50명, 만 5세 50명으로 총 149명이었다. 환경 친화적 태도 검사 도구는 Musser and Diamond(1999)가 제작한 CATES-PV를 번안, 보안하여 사용하였고, 환경 보전 지식 검사는 한태현(2001)이 제작한 “환경보전지식” 검사 도구를 사용하였으며, 환경 친화적 행동 검사 도구는 김세영(2002)이 제작한 검사 도구를 수정 보안하여 사용하였다. 수집된 자료들은 SAS 프로그램으로 ANOVA를 실시하여 분석하였고, 집단 간의 유의한 차이를 비교하기 위해 Duncan 추후분석을 실시하였다. 본 연구의 결과는 환경 친화적 태도에서는 연령별 차이가 없는 것으로 나타났고, 환경 보전 지식과 환경 친화적 행동은 연령별로 유의미한 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 환경 보전 지식과 환경 친화적 행동은 모두 만 5세, 만 4세, 만 3세 순으로 높게 나타났다.

The purpose of this study was to analyze young children's pro-environmental attitudes, environmental preservation knowledge, and pro-environmental behaviors according to age. The subjects of this study were 49 three years old children, 50 four years old children, and 50 five years old children attending at the 2 kindergartens and 2 child care centre in C city. In order to measure children's pro-environmental attitudes, environmental preservation knowledge, and pro-environmental behaviors, the researcher used CATES-PV designed by Musser and Diamond(1999), Environmental Preservation Knowledge by Han(2001), the pro-environmental behaviors tool by Kim(2002). Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan. The results of this study were as follows. First, young children did not reveal statistically significant differences in pro-environmental attitudes according to age. Second, the scores of environmental preservation knowledge and pro-environmental behaviors were highest in the five-year-old children, and next, in order of the four-year-old children, and the three-year-old children, and the differences were statistically significant. Third, the differences in environmental preservation knowledge and pro-environmental behaviors examined by Duncan test was statistically significant among the three-year-old children, the four-year-old children, and the five-year-old children.

The purpose of this study was to analyze young children's pro-environmental attitudes, environmental preservation knowledge, and pro-environmental behaviors according to age. The subjects of this study were 49 three years old children, 50 four years old children, and 50 five years old children attending at the 2 kindergartens and 2 child care centre in C city. In order to measure children's pro-environmental attitudes, environmental preservation knowledge, and pro-environmental behaviors, the researcher used CATES-PV designed by Musser and Diamond(1999), Environmental Preservation Knowledge by Han(2001), the pro-environmental behaviors tool by Kim(2002). Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan. The results of this study were as follows. First, young children did not reveal statistically significant differences in pro-environmental attitudes according to age. Second, the scores of environmental preservation knowledge and pro-environmental behaviors were highest in the five-year-old children, and next, in order of the four-year-old children, and the three-year-old children, and the differences were statistically significant. Third, the differences in environmental preservation knowledge and pro-environmental behaviors examined by Duncan test was statistically significant among the three-year-old children, the four-year-old children, and the five-year-old children.