Self-interest and pro-environmental behaviour
TL;DR: This paper showed that recycling rates are dependent on the information participants receive about a separate environmental behaviour, car-sharing (carpooling in the USA). But they found that recycling was significantly higher than control when participants received environmental information about carsharing, but was no different from control when they received financial information or (in experiment 2) received both financial and environmental information.
Abstract: Inspired by the principles used to market physical products, campaigns to promote pro-environmental behaviour have increasingly emphasized self-interested (for example, economic) reasons for engaging with a self-transcendent cause (that is, protecting the environment)1, 2. Yet, psychological evidence about values and behaviour suggests that giving self-interested reasons, rather than self-transcending reasons, to carry out a self-transcending action should be ineffective at increasing self-transcending behaviour more generally3, 4. In other words, such a campaign may fail to cause spillover, or an increase in other, different environmental behaviours5. Here we show that recycling rates are dependent on the information participants receive about a separate environmental behaviour, car-sharing (carpooling in the USA). In two experiments, we found that recycling was significantly higher than control when participants received environmental information about car-sharing, but was no different from control when they received financial information or (in experiment 2) received both financial and environmental information. Our results suggest that, congruent with value theory, positive spillover from one environmental message to another behaviour (car-sharing to recycling) may occur primarily when self-transcending reasons alone are made salient.
Citations
More filters
TL;DR: In this article, the authors propose an integrated theoretical framework for understanding behavior change that identifies two routes to encourage pro-environmental behaviour: reducing the (hedonic and gain) costs of environmental choices and strengthening normative goals.
802 citations
TL;DR: A review of the academic literature from marketing and behavioral science that exa... as mentioned in this paper highlights the important role of marketing in encouraging sustainable consumption, and presents a review of marketing and behavioural science literature that support sustainable consumption.
Abstract: Highlighting the important role of marketing in encouraging sustainable consumption, the current research presents a review of the academic literature from marketing and behavioral science that exa...
650 citations
Cites background from "Self-interest and pro-environmental..."
...Consistency rather than inconsistency effects may be more likely to occur when connected to transcendent rather than self-interested values (Evans et al. 2013)....
[...]
TL;DR: This chapter discusses transactions in which nature provides restoration or inflicts stress, and transactions that are more mutual, such as the development of place attachment and identity and the impacts on and from important physical settings such as home, workplaces, schools, and public spaces.
Abstract: Environmental psychology examines transactions between individuals and their built and natural environments. This includes investigating behaviors that inhibit or foster sustainable, climate-healthy, and nature-enhancing choices, the antecedents and correlates of those behaviors, and interventions to increase proenvironmental behavior. It also includes transactions in which nature provides restoration or inflicts stress, and transactions that are more mutual, such as the development of place attachment and identity and the impacts on and from important physical settings such as home, workplaces, schools, and public spaces. As people spend more time in virtual environments, online transactions are coming under increasing research attention. Every aspect of human existence occurs in one environment or another, and the transactions with and within them have important consequences both for people and their natural and built worlds. Environmental psychology matters.
466 citations
Cites background from "Self-interest and pro-environmental..."
...For example, appeals to environmental values are more effective in increasing proenvironmental behavior than are appeals to self-interest (financial) values (Bolderdijk et al. 2013) or even appeals to the combination of environmental and financial values (Evans et al. 2013)....
[...]
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that psychological research should inform efforts to address climate change, to avoid misunderstandings about human behaviour and motivations that can lead to ineffective or misguided policies, and suggest important directions for further research.
Abstract: Human behaviour is integral not only to causing global climate change but also to responding and adapting to it. Here, we argue that psychological research should inform efforts to address climate change, to avoid misunderstandings about human behaviour and motivations that can lead to ineffective or misguided policies. We review three key research areas: describing human perceptions of climate change; understanding and changing individual and household behaviour that drives climate change; and examining the human impacts of climate change and adaptation responses. Although much has been learned in these areas, we suggest important directions for further research.
381 citations
TL;DR: This article showed that it is more effective to call on people's interest in protecting the biosphere to encourage behavioural changes than to appeal to economic rather than environmental concerns, assuming self-interest drives people's behaviour.
Abstract: Environmental campaigns often promote energy conservation by appealing to economic rather than environmental concerns, assuming self-interest drives people’s behaviour. New research discredits such conventional wisdom and shows that, at least in some cases, it is more effective to call on people’s interest in protecting the biosphere to encourage behavioural changes.
322 citations
References
More filters
TL;DR: The use of effect size reporting in the analysis of social science data remains inconsistent and interpretation of the effect size estimates continues to be confused as discussed by the authors, and clinicians also may have little guidance in the interpretation of effect sizes relevant for clinical practice.
Abstract: Increasing emphasis has been placed on the use of effect size reporting in the analysis of social science data. Nonetheless, the use of effect size reporting remains inconsistent, and interpretation of effect size estimates continues to be confused. Researchers are presented with numerous effect sizes estimate options, not all of which are appropriate for every research question. Clinicians also may have little guidance in the interpretation of effect sizes relevant for clinical practice. The current article provides a primer of effect size estimates for the social sciences. Common effect sizes estimates, their use, and interpretations are presented as a guide for researchers.
2,680 citations
TL;DR: Supporting the notion that altruism signals one's willingness and ability to incur costs for others' benefit, status motives increased desire for green products when shopping in public and when green products cost more (but not less) than nongreen products.
Abstract: Why do people purchase proenvironmental "green" products? We argue that buying such products can be construed as altruistic, since green products often cost more and are of lower quality than their conventional counterparts, but green goods benefit the environment for everyone. Because biologists have observed that altruism might function as a "costly signal" associated with status, we examined in 3 experiments how status motives influenced desire for green products. Activating status motives led people to choose green products over more luxurious nongreen products. Supporting the notion that altruism signals one's willingness and ability to incur costs for others' benefit, status motives increased desire for green products when shopping in public (but not private) and when green products cost more (but not less) than nongreen products. Findings suggest that status competition can be used to promote proenvironmental behavior.
1,581 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the influence of pro-environmental self-identity on consistency across a range of behaviours was found to be a significant behavioural determinant over and above theory of planned behaviour variables for carbon offsetting behaviour.
1,229 citations
TL;DR: Values were found to give meaning to, energize, and regulate value-congruent behavior, but only if values were cognitively activated and central to the self.
Abstract: Six studies examined the value-behavior relation and focused on motivational properties of values, the self, and value activation. Priming environmental values enhanced attention to and the weight of information related to those values, which resulted in environmentally friendly consumer choices. This only occurred if these values were central to the self-concept. Value-congruent choices were also found in response to countervalue behavior in an unrelated context. Donating behavior congruent with central altruistic values was found as a result of enhanced self-focus, thus demonstrating the importance of the self in the value-behavior relation. The external validity of the value-centrality measure and its distinction from attitudes were demonstrated in the prediction of voting. Values were thus found to give meaning to, energize, and regulate value-congruent behavior, but only if values were cognitively activated and central to the self.
1,046 citations
TL;DR: Findings reveal that men attribute consistently more importance than women do to power, stimulation, hedonism, achievement, and self-direction values; the reverse is true for benevolence and universalism values and less consistently for security values.
Abstract: The authors assess sex differences in the importance of 10 basic values as guiding principles. Findings from 127 samples in 70 countries (N = 77,528) reveal that men attribute consistently more importance than women do to power, stimulation, hedonism, achievement, and self-direction values; the reverse is true for benevolence and universalism values and less consistently for security values. The sexes do not differ on tradition and conformity values. Sex differences are small (median d = .15; maximum d = .32 [power]) and typically explain less variance than age and much less than culture. Culture moderates all sex differences and sample type and measurement instrument have minor influences. The authors discuss compatibility of findings with evolutionary psychology and sex role theory and propose an agenda for future research.
952 citations