We’re all trying to be a bit more eco-friendly, whether it’s by recycling, bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, or just turning off the lights when we leave a room. But what if the very tools we use to measure these efforts aren’t as accurate as we think?

A team of Indonesian researchers recently dove into this question. They looked at a specific survey, the Environmentally Friendly Behavior (EFB) scale, which is used to measure how people in Indonesia are doing when it comes to being green. It’s a great tool, but the researchers wanted to see if they could make it even better by using a more advanced statistical method called the Rasch model.

A Fresh Look at the Data

The traditional way of analyzing survey data is like using a simple ruler to measure a winding road—it gives you a general idea but might miss some important curves and dips. The Rasch model, on the other hand, is a more sophisticated approach that can catch those nuances. It helps researchers understand not just if someone is acting green, but how difficult or easy each specific action is for them.

When the researchers applied the Rasch model to the EFB scale, they made an interesting discovery. Out of the nine questions on the survey, two of them just didn’t seem to fit. For example, one question asked about only using a washing machine when it was completely full. While that might seem like a straightforward eco-friendly action, the researchers realized it might not be a good measure in a country where laundry services are so common. For some people, this habit might be more about convenience than a conscious effort to save energy.

Better Questions, Better Results

By getting rid of those two questions, the research team created a new, seven-item version of the scale that proved to be more reliable and valid for Indonesian university students. They also found that some behaviors are a lot easier for people to adopt than others. It turns out that a simple act like turning off the lights is one of the easiest habits to measure, while a more complex one, like separating your waste for recycling, is a bit more challenging.

This study shows us the importance of using the right tools for the job. By making our surveys more accurate and culturally relevant, we can get a much clearer picture of how people are behaving. This, in turn, can help us design better programs and policies that actually encourage more people to take care of our planet.

Based on the research from:

Muliadi, R., Jatnika, R., Hanami, Y., & Adishesa, M. S. (2025). Evaluation of an environmentally friendly behavior scale among Indonesian university students using the Rasch model. Acta Psychologica, 257, 105087.