The Role of People’s Self-Interests of the Arctic Zone of Russia in Their Pro-environmental Behavior Choices

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As environmental behavior is still uncommon in developing countries and needs to be popularized, research on the factors for engaging in certain green practices is of high relevance. The aim of this study is to determine how self-interests of individuals of the Arctic zone of Russia influence the pro-environmental behaviors they choose to fulfill. The main hypothesis of the study is that worse-off individuals are more orientated towards the green practices that meet their economic self-interests; individuals with a higher standard of living are more concerned with reinforcement of self-esteem and acknowledgment from society. Methodologically, the study relied on Maslow’s needs theory and the Campbell paradigm. The dataset was gathered by surveying 1,102 residents of the Arctic zone of the Republic of Karelia on 14 green practices they may use. The data were analyzed by expert assessment, descriptive statistics methods, analysis of variance, correlation and cluster analyses. The study showed that the level of environmental concern of individuals does not depend on their standards of living, but as this involves financial costs; worse-off individuals adhere to fewer green practices and are more likely to choose the less costly ones (with no correlation between the income and the positive economic effect from the practice). At the same time, the green practices of environmentally passive and environmentally active individuals are less suited to their economic interests than the practices of individuals with a medium level of environmental activity. Scientifically, the value of this study is that it specifies and complements Maslow’s needs theory and the Campbell paradigm. The findings are of interest for authorities and non-governmental organizations in their efforts to alter the institutional arrangements for unpopular practices.