Pro-environmental Attitudes Research Articles

Modelling interest in co-adoption of electric vehicles and solar photovoltaics in Australia to identify tailored policy needs

Electric vehicles (EVs) and solar photovoltaic systems (PVs) are two technologies that are gaining popularity in households as a means of reducing carbon emissions and improving energy security. However, little is known about the characteristics of households that adopt these technologies jointly. This study investigates the adoption patterns of electric vehicles and solar photovoltaics in Australia. We explain the likelihood of consumers belonging to four distinct groups (those who adopt both PVs and EVs, those who only adopt EVs, those who only adopt PVs, and those who adopt none) based on demographic and attitudinal factors. Using survey data from a representative sample of 2219 Australian heads of households, we found that dwelling ownership, ownership of a home energy management system, gender, and household size were significant predictors of the joint adoption of EVs and PVs. While both pro-environmental and pro-technology attitudes demonstrated a significant role in shaping PV-EV co-adoption patterns, the latter has a much stronger effect than the former. Based on the results, we identified that actions are needed in three key areas to encourage co-adoption: reducing technology adoption constraints associated with living arrangements (such as dwelling type and ownership), providing bundled financial incentives for both technologies, and fostering technology awareness and perceived usefulness among consumers.

The Interrelationship between Pro-Environmental Attitudes and Subjective Well-Being: The Case of Central and Eastern European Countries

Scientists and policy makers more often point out that pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour are related to subjective well-being, but there is a lack of deep scientific insights, as well as possible measure analysis, which would promote pro-environmental behaviour but, at the same time, lead to higher subjective well-being. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between pro-environmental attitudes, concerns about climate change, and subjective well-being in Central and Eastern European countries. This study employs descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis to identify subjective well-being predictors in the case of Central and Eastern European countries. This study uses data from European Social Survey (ESS) rounds 4–10, and includes questions on pro-environmental attitudes, climate change cognition, orientation towards materialistic values, and households’ total net income. The conducted research revealed that pro-environmental attitudes were related to higher levels of subjective well-being in different ESS rounds in many Central and Eastern European countries. In addition, there is some evidence that the relationship between pro-environmental attitudes and subjective well-being is weaker among individuals who are more oriented towards materialistic values. According to the results of this study, policy makers should develop policies that not only address environmental problems but also contribute to subjective well-being.

The case for longtermism: concern for the far future as a catalyst for pro-climate action

Amid escalating climate challenges, we examine relationships between longtermism beliefs with policy-level and grassroots climate-protective attitudes and actions. Across four primary pre-registered studies (N = 4451) and two supplementary pilots (N = 1858), we find that a significant portion, approximately 25% of our participants, who endorse the longtermism ethical philosophy, report heightened climate change concerns. Furthermore, longtermists show stronger support for pro-climate policies, advocate for initiatives in line with climate justice for future generations and present-day minoritized groups and make proactive contributions to environmental causes and initiatives. Moreover, we find that responsibility to distant future generations drives these associations. Through a targeted intervention, we boosted intergenerational responsibility and increased donations to an environmental charity. These findings highlight how longtermism beliefs shape pro-environmental attitudes and actions, offering valuable insights for climate advocacy strategies and cultivating more widespread support for comprehensive environmental policies.

Exploring the Influence of Dynamic Indicators in Urban Spaces on Residents’ Environmental Behavior: A Case Study in Shanghai Utilizing Mixed-Methods Approach and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Modeling

The main aim of this article is to evaluate the impact of dynamic indicators associated with urban spaces on the environmental behavior of residents in Shanghai, China. With the city experiencing rapid urbanization and increasing environmental concerns, it is crucial to understand how the design and management of urban spaces can encourage pro-environmental attitudes and actions among the population. The study specifically focuses on dynamic indicators, namely vitality, accessibility, quality, and walkability, to develop a comprehensive understanding of the utilization and experience of urban spaces. The research outcomes will make valuable contributions towards Shanghai’s objectives of achieving environmental sustainability, while also providing insights that have broader relevance to sustainable urban development globally. As the built environment significantly influences energy consumption, resource utilization, pollution generation, and overall human wellbeing, attaining urban sustainability is of paramount importance. The findings of this study will aid in informing strategies and policies that promote sustainable practices, not only benefiting Shanghai but also serving as a valuable resource for urban development initiatives worldwide. Sustainable urban design principles, including compactness, density, mixed land use, greening, and walkability, have been associated with pro-environmental behaviors, including reduced reliance on automobiles, increased walking and cycling, and heightened environmental consciousness. Nevertheless, the relationship between the built environment and sustainability behaviors is intricate and is influenced by multiple factors. Consequently, further research is necessary to comprehend how specific spatial and temporal dynamics impact environmental behaviors within urban settings. In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN) was developed to estimate the quality and walkability of an area and environmental behaviors by considering the augmented vitality and accessibility factors. The ANN’s predictions demonstrate that higher levels of vitality and accessibility positively contribute to improved walkability and environmental behaviors. The accuracy of the ANN’s predictions was assessed using linear regression, which yielded acceptable error rates when compared with experimental results.

A little parsimony goes a long way: Aversive (‘dark’) personality and pro-environmentalism

Individual differences in pro-environmentalism (connectedness to nature, pro-environmental attitudes, and pro-environmental behavior) have been attributed to various personality traits and, most recently, socially/ethically aversive (aka ‘dark’) traits in particular. However, the empirical picture linking such traits to pro-environmentalism is scattered and has produced contradictory findings. We propose a more parsimonious and consistent explanation of individual differences in pro-environmentalism through the D factor, the common core of all aversive traits. Across 12 studies (total N = 13,882) we show substantial and consistent negative correlations (−0.56 ≤ r ≤ −0.26) between D and connectedness to nature, pro-environmental attitudes, and pro-environmental behavior. Moreover, the ‘dark tetrad’ traits (Machiavellianism, Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Sadism), alone or in their common combinations (as a triad or tetrad), never explained more total variance in either of these criteria than D alone. Finally, the extent to which any dark tetrad trait was negatively associated with pro-environmentalism was entirely due to D. These findings bear implications for the broader nature of pro-environmentalism and theoretical parsimony in research on individual differences in pro-environmentalism.

Empowering pro-environmental potential among hotel employees: insights from self-determination theory

PurposeThis research examines the role of green, inclusive leadership, corporate social responsibility, and pro-environmental attitudes on proactive pro-environmental behaviour among hotel employees. It further examines the indirect effects of pro-environmental attitudes between green inclusive leadership, corporate social responsibility, and proactive pro-environmental behaviour, as well as the moderating role of psychological contract breach between pro-environmental attitudes and proactive pro-environmental behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe participants of this cross-sectional study were employees in the Malaysian hotel industry, and 374 usable questionnaires were used for data analysis. The data were analysed using Partial Least Squares – Structural Equation Modelling.FindingsThis study found that green, inclusive leadership, corporate social responsibility, and pro-environmental attitudes significantly influence proactive pro-environmental behaviour. For mediating effects, pro-environmental attitudes have been found to mediate the relationship between corporate social responsibility, green inclusive leadership and proactive pro-environmental behaviour.Research limitations/implicationsThe research proposes actionable measures to encourage environmentally friendly practices in the hotel sector. For companies to succeed, they must integrate green initiatives with their societal objectives. Pro-environmental mindsets are essential for implementing effective environmental policies, which in turn impact recruitment approaches. The advantages of fostering pro-environmental conduct encompass financial savings, enhanced standing, adherence to regulations, increased innovative thinking and improved workplace well-being.Originality/valueOver time, environmental degradation has been contributed by individual behaviours and the combined actions of businesses and organisations. This study significantly contributed to a new model underpinned by the Self-determination Theory by including new constructs influencing proactive pro-environmental behaviour.

Mere presence effect on pro-environmental behavior: exploring the role of social influence

ABSTRACT This study investigates how the presence and type of an observer influence individual waste sorting intentions. We explore the role of impression management and pro-environmental attitude as mediating and moderating factor, respectively. Results indicate that individuals are more inclined to sort waste thoroughly in the presence of another person, particularly an acquaintance or a stranger, compared to CCTV or being alone. This effect is amplified among those with weaker pro-environmental attitude. Conversely, individuals with stronger pro-environmental attitude consistently exhibit high waste sorting intention irrespective of the observer’s presence. The results suggest that placing waste sorting facilities in public areas may be more effective than installing CCTV cameras, especially among those with lower pro-environmental attitudes.

Egoistic value is positively associated with pro-environmental attitude and behaviour when the environmental problems are psychologically close.

Egoistic value is conceptualized as anti-environmental in many environmental value theories, yet contradictory evidence exists for its relation with pro-environmental attitude and behaviour. To provide insights into these inconsistent findings, this research examined the moderating role of the psychological distance of environmental problems on their relationship. Across one cross-sectional survey study (1008 community participants from the United States) and one World Values Survey study (66,704 nationally representative participants from 46 countries/regions), results converged in showing that psychological distance of environmental problems (i.e. climate change and local pollution) moderated the relationship between egoistic value and pro-environmental attitude and behaviour. Their association became more positive as that psychological distance got closer. Different patterns were observed for altruistic and biospheric values. These findings highlight the potential pro-environmental utility of egoistic value and the importance of paying attention to contexts when theorizing its relation with pro-environmental attitude and behaviour.

Do cultural and individual values influence sustainable tourism and pro-environmental behavior? Focusing on Chinese millennials

ABSTRACT This study investigated the Chinese millennials’ perspectives of tourism sustainability using Hofstede’s five-dimensional model. It examined the relationship between their environmental attitudes and hedonic/utilitarian values. According to the findings, collectivism had a positive impact on their pro-environmental attitude, evident in both their preferences and behaviors. Large power distance as well as high tolerance for uncertainty, conversely, resulted in a less pro-environmental attitude. Simultaneously, their masculinity, as expressed in their tendency to obtain more profit in advance, was harmful. This research adds to a greater understanding of cultural and individual values and suggests marketing strategies to advocate for environmentally conscious behaviors.

Understanding and Enhancing Food Conservation Behaviors and Operations

This study explores the dynamics of food conservation behaviors and operations, shifting the lens from the prevalent narrative of food waste reduction to a marketing perspective that emphasizes consumer engagement in sustainable operations. Amidst the rapid urban transformation and economic progress of many countries, this research examines factors influencing individual behaviors toward responsible food operations. It aims to delineate the motivational drivers and deterrents affecting residents’ engagement in food conservation and operations, utilizing an adapted framework based on the theory of planned behavior. We employ partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze responses from 390 residents. We find that perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and attitudes significantly enhance intentions to conserve food. Moreover, environmental concerns amplify both attitudes and perceived behavioral control, while green marketing communications and knowledge elevate attitudes, environmental mindfulness, and conservation actions. A connection to nature is substantiated as a reinforcing factor for pro-environmental attitudes and operations. Notably, attitudes are identified as a critical mediator among the examined constructs. This investigation enriches sustainability scholarship by introducing a positive behavior-focused approach, advancing the discourse on sustainable operations. It offers actionable insights for market-driven interventions, policy-making (such as China’s lastest national policies on food security and rural region revitalization in 2024), and educational endeavors to mitigate food wastage and reinforce food supply chain resilience globally.

Does higher climate concern lead to a smaller carbon footprint? A study among the Nordic country residents

The global carbon budget to keep warming within 1.5° is being rapidly depleted, and demand-side measures are crucial to meet mitigation targets. Although the Nordic countries are regarded as having strong environmental policies, per capita consumption-based carbon footprints are high. The effect of climate concern and other pro-environmental attitudes on pro-environmental behaviour has been extensively studied, but the relationship between climate concern and consumption-based carbon footprints is largely unknown. Using responses from around 8000 Nordic participants of an online carbon footprint calculator survey, carbon footprints were investigated at different levels of climate concern, across consumption domains, and across the five Nordic countries. Although participants with high climate concern had carbon footprints between 1.5–2 tons lower than those with low concern, the overall footprints were well above the global average, and 2–3x higher than the level compatible with 1.5° warming.

Consumer protection and sustainable development: key green research areas

Motivation: Consumers are an important link in the socio-economic system. In the literature, there is a noticeable increase in interest on the part of researchers in shaping consumer attitudes and behaviour in various markets, including the issue of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour. In the context of contemporary transformations and challenges of sustainable development, the importance of solutions aimed at providing consumers with adequate protection against a variety of unfair market practices misleading consumers on the issue of green products and services is growing. The motivation for undertaking this research was the need to highlight the complexity of green issues around consumer protection and, at the same time, to address them from a sustainability perspective. This can be an important step in discussing and setting further research directions in this area. Aim: The aim of this article is to identify key green research areas undertaken around consumer protection issues while addressing them from a sustainable development perspective. The implementation of this objective consisted of a literature review of the subject listed in the Scopus database and the Web of Science database. The methods adopted were a Structured Literature Review with original Q1-Q4 queries and a Classic Literature Review. Results: In economic reality, it can be observed that an increasing number of economic actors are offering products and services that are labelled green. They support the transformation of the current economy toward a green economy. However, the analyses show that consumers are increasingly confronted with the phenomenon of greenwashing. This requires the creation of new solutions to protect consumers against such unfair practices. The results of the considerations undertaken show the interdisciplinary character of the undertaken considerations around the issue of consumer protection in the field of greenwashing.

Uncovering the potential of evaluative conditioning in shaping attitudes toward sustainable product packaging.

The necessity to promote pro-environmental behavior change in individuals and society is increasingly evident. This study aimed to investigate the effect of evaluative conditioning on consumers' perception of product packaging. We first produced two stimulus sets: one including images of supermarket products with different packaging and the other containing affective images of healthy nature (positive) and climate change impact (negative). These images were then paired in an evaluative conditioning experiment where respondents were informed about the impact of product packaging. We found an effect of conditioning depending on the initial sustainability perception that participants had toward product packaging. Pairing products for which participants were uncertain about their sustainability with negative or positive affective images had a significant effect on the sustainable associations of the consumers in a negative or positive direction, respectively. However, the impact of conditioning on products that clearly had (un)sustainable packaging was not that strong. These results provide new tools and evidence to further investigate the power of evaluative conditioning in pro-environmental attitude and behavior change.

The influence of the 2021 European flooding on pro-environmental attitudes and partial behaviour transition

One of the reasons why people do not act pro-environmentally might be a lack of experience with the consequences of climate change. Studies have shown that higher levels of environmental attitudes and more environmentally friendly behaviours have been observed among people affected by extreme weather events. It is unclear, however, whether the events caused the changes or whether the affected people simply differed in their characteristics from those who were unaffected. We draw on a natural experiment to examine the causal link between flooding experiences, pro-environmental attitudes and pro-environmental behaviour using national survey data collected from 2058 individuals aged 16-29 years across Luxembourg. After people experienced the 2021 European flooding, their pro-environmental attitudes increased significantly. The effect was stronger in regions that were more affected by floods. Higher levels of environmental attitudes partly translated into greater willingness to act in a pro-environmental way. The results have important implications for advancing efforts to address climate change by demonstrating links between extreme weather events attributed to climate change and higher levels of environmental attitudes.

Environmental awareness as a transfiguring factor of the sustainable behavior of the visitor to the Lachay National Reserve

The objective of the research was to understand and explain the relationship between environmental awareness as a factor in transforming the sustainable behavior of visitors to the Lachay National Reserve. The research type is applied, with a mixed research approach and descriptive research method, using a sequential explanatory mixed method and a non-experimental and cross-sectional research design, with a correlational and explanatory scope. The population consisted of 19,326 visitors, with a quantitative method sample of 377 visitors and a qualitative method reaching saturation level in 15 interviews. The applied techniques included observation, document analysis, structured interviews, and surveys. The research resulted in the rejection of the null hypothesis in the quantitative analysis, confirming that environmental awareness is linked to the transformation of sustainable behavior among visitors to the Lachay National Reserve, with a Spearman's Rho correlation coefficient of 0.584, which is statistically significant and moderately positive, with a p-value of 0.000. In the qualitative analysis, environmental awareness transforms sustainable behavior through psychological factors such as environmental-cognitive knowledge, allowing the identification of environmental concerns, and landscape-affective factors. The interaction of cognitive and affective factors enables the generation of pro-environmental behaviors and attitudes

Do immigrants support environmentalism? – Immigrants’ environmental socialization in the United States

As globalisation continues, heated debates over immigrants’ environmental behaviours in the U.S. have been prominent in recent years. While research has generally focused on the association between political affiliation and pro-environmental values, only a few studies have specifically explored immigrants’ pro-environmental values in the U.S. Utilizing a pooled dataset spanning 3 years (2017, 2020, and 2022) from the Cooperative Election Study and employing a multilevel model, we empirically tested three hypotheses regarding immigrants’ pro-environmental attitudes: the globalization hypothesis, the prosperity hypothesis, and the political socialization hypothesis. Our results supported all three hypotheses. On average, immigrants exhibited higher environmental scores than the native-born population. In addition, we identified generational differences, with the 1st generation immigrants showing the highest environmental scores, while the 2nd generation immigrants fell between the 1st generation and the native-born. Compared to the native-born population, party affiliation played a smaller role in immigrants’ formation of pro-environmental values. Democratic immigrants tended to be less pro-environment than democratic locals, while Republican immigrants were more pro-environment than Republican locals.

An Analysis of Households Choice of Solid Fuels as a Primary and Supplementary Heating Fuel

The residential sector in Ireland is a large user of solid fuels for space heating purposes. Solid fuels are commonly used to supplement other forms of heating rather than as the primary source. Using a survey data set of Irish households and a multinomial logit approach, differences between the household characteristics of primary and supplementary solid fuel users are identified, including for levels of education, age of dwelling, location and pro-environmental attitudes. Evidence also shows that increases in income lead to a transition away from primary solid fuel use but not supplementary consumption, suggesting that an energy stacking model explains the household’s choice of heating fuels in Ireland. Given the established effects that solid fuels have on air quality and the scale of supplementary solid fuel use, policies to promote a transition to cleaner fuels need to account for the clear differences in the features of the two user groups.

Investigating students’ perceptions of single-use plastics at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

ABSTRACT Single-use plastics have become interconnected with human populations globally, yet, studies on plastic pollution and practices have predominantly been conducted outside Africa. This study explored perceptions of single-use plastics at the University of the Witwatersrand, with 1398 respondents in an online survey and 18 in a solicited diary during 2019. Despite social media and research exposure amongst university students, only 57% of respondents were familiar with the term single-use plastics. However, respondents displayed considerable pro-environmental attitudes relating to plastic pollution and recycling. These attitudes did not translate into pro-environmental behaviour in daily life, whereby 88% of respondents believed that single-use plastics are used with too many products, yet, only 22% avoid products which incorporate them. Respondents faced constraints in their pro-environmental behaviour relating to recycling infrastructure, re-use and the expense of alternative products. Negative perceptions exist towards single-use plastics in South Africa due to their ubiquitous pollution and presence in daily consumption practices. Increased pro-environmental behaviour provides an opportunity to curb plastic pollution and rethink consumption patterns. However, changing attitudes alone to stem the tide of plastic consumption and pollution will be meaningless without supportive recycling infrastructure from the government and reduced single-use, non-recyclable plastic production.

Effects of green and urban environment exposure during classroom breaks in a video-based setting

AbstractNatural environments are beneficial for cognitive functioning and affect. Appraisals of such benefits can lead to the development of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors in the long run. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an indirect exposure to a natural and urban environment during a short break in a school day, using a ‘green’ video depicting a walk through a lush forest and comparing it to an urban video portraying a walk through a busy city. We involved 91 fourth and fifth graders in a within-participants design. Results show that students decreased their performance in an arithmetic calculation task after watching the urban video, while no significant differences were observed before and after the exposure to the green environment. Students also reported experiencing more negative affect in relation to the exposure to the urban than the natural environment. Moreover, the students perceived the natural environment as more restorative than the urban environment. Taken together, our findings suggest that exposure to urban environments, in contrast to natural environments, may have negative effects on cognitive and affective functioning during school breaks. Educational implications suggest that when it is not possible to stay in a natural environment around the school, or there is no access to nature due to distance, videos of natural environments can be used during short breaks. They have potential to cognitively and affectively benefit students’ who may often be exposed to environmental stressors.

Empathy with nature promotes pro-environmental attitudes in preschool children.

This study aimed to explore whether empathy with nature (i.e., the tendency to understand and share the emotional experience of the natural world) contributes to pro-environmental attitudes in early childhood. In a correlational investigation (Study 1), 138 (Mage = 57.78 months) preschool children completed a battery of tasks to measure their pro-environmental attitudes, empathy with nature, and empathy with humans. We found that empathy with nature positively predicts pro-environmental attitudes, even beyond the predictive power of empathy with humans. In a quasi-experimental investigation (Study 2), 46 children from two parallel classes in the same preschool were recruited as the intervention (n = 23, Mage = 66.74 months) and control (n = 23, Mage = 67.61 months) groups. An intervention session that aimed to induce empathy with nature was applied to the intervention group, whereas an active control teaching session was applied to the control group. After the intervention, the intervention group demonstrated greater pro-environmental attitudes than did the control group. Together, our studies provide converging evidence that empathy with nature promotes pro-environmental attitudes in early childhood, further implying the value of integrating empathy with nature in early childhood environmental education.