Hungarian Quality Journal

Examination of social perceptions of environmental changes caused by human activity

Metadata

Author(s): Varga János, Csiszárik-Kocsir Ágnes

DOI: https://doi.org/10.65513/MaMi.2025.12.54

Publisher: Nemzetközi Oktatási és Kutatási Központ Alapítvány

Volume: December 2025.

Volume number: 34

Issue number: 12

Journal: Hungarian Quality Journal

ISSN (Print): ISSN 1416‑9576

ISSN (Online): ISSN 1789-5510

Pages: 54–74

Keywords: sustainability, environmental impacts, social perception, climate change

Abstract

The global economy and societies today face complex challenges that make it increasingly urgent to rethink the issue of sustainability. Reducing inequalities, alleviating poverty, and addressing environmental damage are no longer merely policy tasks: the quality of our everyday lives also depends on our ability to view economic, social, and ecological considerations in harmony with one another. The literature—from Powe (2020) to numerous other studies—emphasizes that the interactions between these three subsystems fundamentally determine our vision of the future. The functioning of economic and social structures is inseparable from environmental resources, yet these resources are finite, and growth trajectories place an ever-increasing burden on the natural environment. Economic expansion is not sustainable in the long term without proper resource management, which is why the issues of environmentally conscious consumption and responsible resource use are becoming increasingly important. One of the fundamental messages of sustainability is that the responsibility of the present generation extends beyond its own needs: we must consider the consequences of our decisions with regard to the living conditions of future generations. This task of shaping attitudes requires change not only at the individual level, but also at the social and economic levels. The study seeks to explore how respondents view the role of human activity in the development of environmental elements, as well as the areas in which they perceive the most positive or negative effects. The literature review is supplemented by empirical results that bring us closer to understanding how human activity shapes the functioning of the natural environment and what factors determine social perceptions in this area.

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