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Abstract. Studies have generally found rural residents to be less concerned about environmental problems than urbanites. This difference has been attributed primarily to a nature-exploitative attitude of farmers. The present study finds little support for this proposition, but an alternative explanation, derived from rational choice and exchange theory, is supported. Owner-operator farmers are different from tenants and absentee owners in their level of environmental concern and shift positions across the range of environmental issues, as do rural nonfarm and small town residents. Furthermore, urban respondents are not consistently more likely than all rural categories to show the greatest environmental concern.
A preponderance of research indicates that urban dwellers tend to be more concerned than their rural counterparts about environmental issues (e.g. Tremblay and Dunlap 1978; Van Liere and Dunlap 1980; Lowe and Pinhey 1982). Van Liere and Dunlap (1980, pp. 190-91) however, have observed that "there are a number of contradictions to this pattern . . . [and] the coefficients vary considerably in magnitude, both within and across studies."
A statewide study of Nebraska adults was designed to examine and clarify the relationship between residence and environmental concerns. We distinguished among different categories of residence across the ruralurban continuum, and examined attitudes toward both agricultural and nonagricultural environmental issues. Our conclusions stress the importance of recognizing the multidimensional nature of environmental concerns.
The Farm Variable as Explanation
One promising lead toward unraveling the contradictory evidence regarding rural-urban differences came from the work of Buttel and Flinn (1974) in Wisconsin. They found farmers were less concerned than nonfarm rural residents about pollution. They suggested that, "To have validity, a designation of 'rural' unconcern for pollution problems has to specify it as a 'farm' category" (Buttel and Flinn 1974, p. 65). Subsequent studies have continued to find farmers less environmentally concerned than others (Buttel 1975; Kronus and Van Es 1976; Tremblay and Dunlap 1978; Lowe and Pinhey 1982).
There is growing awareness of the critical role played by agriculture in maintaining environmental quality (Dunlap and Martin 1983; Moberg 1988; Schwab 1989). Since farmers are directly involved with problems such as soil erosion, loss of wetlands, and pollution from pesticides, it is especially important to determine if they are as unconcerned about these issues as is...