Sustainability in Mind: A Word Association Test Analysis

Abstract

In the scope of this study, the cognitive structures of the science teacher candidates in the context in sustainable education were investigated through Word Association Test (WAT). The study group was composed of 70 third-year science teacher candidates. Their understanding of the concepts in terms of personal behavior (“recycling,” “saving,” “being responsible”) was closely related to sustainability. Relatively few connections were made to more expansive and integrative concepts like "ecosystem," "ecological literacy," and "sustainable development." The findings demonstrated that rather than being a cohesive network, the conceptual frameworks of the participants were made up of broken clusters. A lack of integration between higher order thinking and environmental awareness was shown by the poor correlation between "responsible behavior" and "problem-solving skills." It was therefore recommended that teacher education programs emphasize holistic and interdisciplinary approaches that promote systems thinking, critical reflection, and problem-solving rather than focusing solely on behavior-oriented aspects of sustainability. © 2026, Redfame Publishing Inc.. All rights reserved.