Self-construal predicts environmental concern, cooperation, and conservation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether individual differences in self-construal predict differences in environmental concern, resource sharing, and pro-environmental behaviour. University students completed measures of environmental concern, cooperation, and competition in sharing environmental resources, and conservation behaviour. It was found that the independent self-construal uniquely predicted egoistic environmental concern and competitiveness in sharing resources. The interdependent self-construal predicted resource cooperation, and the metapersonal self-construal uniquely predicted biospheric environmental concern, ecological cooperation, and self-reports of environmental conservation behaviour. These results suggest that self-construal plays a key role in predicting important environmental thoughts and behaviours. It is proposed that one's environmental concern stems partly from self-construal. Quite simply, if one considers the self to include all living things, then one is less likely to harm and more likely to protect the environment.