Aspectos metodológicos para la investigación sobre el comportamiento de conservación de suelos

Soil conservation behavior research is currently hindered by a methodological gap due to the lack of suitable scales for empirical data collection. In addition to this methodological challenge, traditional soil science education has primarily emphasized cognitive learning, neglecting the affective domain that encompasses emotions and feelings. To address these limitations, this study proposes three measurement scales: (1) farmers’ soil conservation behavior, (2) farmers’ knowledge of soil science, and (3) farmers’ affective connection with the soil. A multidomain approach is used that encompasses a range of farmer behaviors aimed at preventing soil degradation, including salinization, sodification, acidification, pollution, and organic matter degradation, as well as the associated consequences, such as reduced biological activity, loss of soil aggregate stability, compaction, and erosion. The knowledge scale is similarly focused, targeting these specific soil degradation processes. Building on the widely recognized importance of emotions and feelings in addressing global soil degradation, the third instrument leverages a well-established scale from environmental psychology to measure individuals’ connection with nature, and tailors it to specifically capture farmers’ emotional bond with the soil. The psychometric properties of the three proposed scales, including reliability, item fit, unidimensionality, and validity, are presented, and the practical implications of these scales for farmer education programs and university agronomy curricula are discussed. It is concluded that these scales offer valuable tools for future research in the field of soil conservation.