Self-Confrontation via a Carbon Footprint Calculator Increases Guilt and Support for a Proenvironmental Group

Abstract

Guilt occurs when people realize they have violated personal or social standards for behavior. For example, past research found that confronting Whites for racist behavior created guilt, which motivated behavior change. Carbon footprint calculators provide a venue for self-confrontation about the impact of one’s behavior on the environment. In Study 1, participants were randomly assigned to learn their carbon footprint was larger or smaller than the average United States’ citizen. Participants confronted with a larger-than-average carbon footprint reported more personal guilt, but not shame or anger, than participants who learned they had a smaller-thanaverage carbon footprint. In Study 2, participants confronted with evidence that Americans had a larger carbon footprint than other industrialized nations reported more collective guilt, but no less collective pride, than participants who learned Americans had a smaller carbon footprint. Collective guilt then partially mediated the association between carbon footprint feedback and support for a proenvironmental group.