The Relationship Between Sociodemographics and Environmental Values Across Seven European Countries.

Rebecca J Sargisson,Judith I M De Groot,Linda Steg

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02253

Rebecca J Sargisson, Judith I M De Groot + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02253

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Abstract

Given the importance of environmental values (altruistic, biospheric, and egoistic) to pro-environmental behavior, it would be useful to segment the population – an approach known as market segmentation – to tailor pro-environmental messages more effectively. Sociodemographic variables are popular targets for segmentation, as such variables are often knowable in the absence of more nuanced information about individuals. However, evidence for the relationship between sociodemographics and environmental values is sparse, and contradictory. We examined the extent to which popular sociodemographic variables (gender, age, income, education, urbanization level, and political orientation) were predictive of environmental values for 11,820 participants across seven European countries. Overall, sociodemographics were hardly related to environmental values. Only gender and political orientation were weakly but significantly related to environmental values, whereby men and right-wingers showed weaker altruistic and biospheric, and stronger egoistic, values than women and left-wingers. We conclude that sociodemographic variables cannot be considered a suitable proxy for environmental values, and thus that behavior-change campaigns might be more impactful when focused on alternative segmentation strategies in relation to environmental aims.

Highlights

Information campaigns to change behavior are more successful when their messages are tailored to specific groups of people (Steg, 2008), a concept known in economic circles as market segmentation (do Paço et al, 2009)
We explored the strength of the relationship between the sociodemographic variables of gender, age, social class, urbanization level of residence, and political orientation and environmental values
We found little evidence that the sociodemographic variables of gender, age, social class, urbanization of residence, and political orientation are useful predictors of environmental values

Summary

Introduction

Information campaigns to change behavior are more successful when their messages are tailored to specific groups of people (Steg, 2008), a concept known in economic circles as market segmentation (do Paço et al, 2009). There is evidence that environmental values, altruistic, biospheric, and egoistic values, are important determinants of pro-environmental behavior (Stern et al, 1995; Karp, 1996; Nordlund and Garvill, 2002). In this context, market segmentation helps companies and governmental bodies to more effectively target consumers and people with specific environmental values (Jain and Kaur, 2006), as people differ in the extent to which they endorse altruistic, biospheric, and egoistic values in their lives (Deng et al, 2006). We explored the strength of the relationship between the sociodemographic variables of gender, age, social class, urbanization level of residence, and political orientation and environmental values

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