The New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) is a concept and scale developed to measure individuals' environmental worldviews. Originally formulated in the late 1970s by Riley Dunlap and Kent Van Liere, the NEP scale assesses the degree to which people subscribe to a worldview that recognizes human dependence on nature and the importance of maintaining ecological balance.
The NEP contrasts with the Dominant Social Paradigm (DSP), which reflects a more anthropocentric view, where humans are seen as separate from and dominant over nature, and economic growth and technological progress are prioritized.
Key components of the NEP include beliefs that:
- Humans are part of the ecosystem and subject to its limits.
- There are physical limits to economic growth.
- The balance of nature is delicate and can be easily disrupted.
- Humans need to coexist sustainably with the natural environment.
The scale has been widely used in research to assess environmental attitudes across different cultures and populations. It has also evolved over time to reflect contemporary environmental issues like climate change.