The Impact of Education and Environmental Awareness on Mental Model Complexity: A Comparative Study of Dutch Young Adults' and Ocean Experts' Perceptions of Quality of Life in the Ocean.

Abstract

This study examines the complexity of mental models (MMs) concerning the quality of life (QOL) in the ocean among young adults in the Netherlands and compares these with those of ocean experts. The research aims to understand how educational levels and environmental awareness influence the complexity of these MMs. Using the M-Tool for mapping and a follow-up survey, two primary sample groups were analysed: young adults and ocean experts. The study focuses on two research questions: Question 1: What are the characteristics of the mental models of young adults and ocean experts concerning the quality of life in the ocean? Question 2: What is the relationship between environmental awareness and educational level in the complexity of individuals' mental models? Results indicate that both young adults and experts identify similar key drivers affecting ocean QOL, such as humanity and climate change. However, experts emphasise additional factors like marine habitats and biodiversity, which young adults tend to overlook. The complexity of MMs, measured by the number of interconnected concepts (nodes) and relationships (edges) per node, was notably higher among experts. This finding supports the hypothesis that experts possess a more nuanced understanding of the systemic interactions influencing ocean QOL. Regarding educational levels, the study finds a positive relationship between higher education and MM complexity, primarily reflected in the increased number of relationships among concepts rather than the number of concepts themselves. This suggests that higher education enhances the ability to perceive and understand complex systems, corroborating previous research on the benefits of systems thinking in education. Conversely, the expected positive relationship between environmental awareness and MM complexity was not observed. Higher environmental awareness did not necessarily equate to a deeper understanding of the systemic relationships affecting ocean QOL, highlighting a gap between awareness and comprehensive systems knowledge. These findings emphasise the importance of integrating systems thinking into all curricula for all educational levels to foster a more holistic understanding of environmental issues. The study suggests that while both young adults and experts recognise key drivers of ocean QOL, there is a significant disparity in their ability to understand the interconnected nature of these drivers. The results underline the need for enhanced educational frameworks and policies that promote systems thinking and ocean conservation across all educational levels to better address complex environmental challenges.