CONS 200 - Unit 4

Pro-environmental behaviours (PEB)

Actions taken with the intention of benefitting or reducing the negative human impact on the natural environment

Private sphere behaviours

- individual action

- private sphere environmentalism (biking, etc.)

- individual buying choices (e.g. green consumerism)

Public sphere behaviours

environmental activism

Public sphere non-activist behaviours

voting, volunteering

individual attitudinal factors (e.g. values, beliefs, attitudes) are very strongly correlated with pro-environmental behaviours

false

3 determinants of pro-environmental behaviour

1. individual attitudinal factors

2. individual characteristics & capabilities

3. external contextual factors

3 individual attitudinal factors

1. attitudes and norms

2. beliefs

3. values

Values

- standards about how we and others should value various states of the world

- deeply held

- remain relatively stable throughout adult life

Assumptions about values

- absence of pro-environmental values have led to contemporary environmental problems

- values influence individual and collective decisions

- more pro-environmental values would lead to decisions that are better for the environment

Types of values

- biospheric values (ie. protecting nature, unity with nature)

- altruistic values (ie. caring for others, social justice)

- conservative/traditional values (ie. family, security, honoring elders)

- self-enhancement (wealth, material possessions)

- openness to change (ie. having an exciting and varied life filled with challenge and novelty)

- self-transcendence (spirituality, oneness with the universe)

Beliefs

facts as individuals perceive them

ex: the earth is getting warmer partly or mostly due to human activities

Attitudes

positive or negative emotions of something specific

ex: support or opposition of an increase taxes on carbon based fuels

Norms

- "ought to" statements about the acceptability of specific actions or circumstances

- examples: everyone should recycle their waste, people should reduce their ecological footprints --> norms would lead to behavioural intention and thus, behaviours

do individual attitudinal factors predict PEB?

yes:

- values influence environmental concern (ie biospheric, self-transcendence)

- altruistic values are positively related to some PEBs

- people with strong self-enhancement values tend to report less PEB

but:

- gap between pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours

- values, attitudes and norms are better at explaining low impact behaviours

key points of individual attitudinal factors

- predict a general predisposition to PEBs

- association is weak (especially with high-impact behaviours)

- values and belief systems are important, but there are other important determinants of behaviour

low-impact behaviours

- refusing plastic bags in stores

- recycling

- switching lights off

high-impact behaviours

- overall consumption of energy and resources

- lifestyle choices (type of housing, transportation, diet)

how is behaviour more than just a product of attitudes

non-attitude factors:

- income

- household size

- age

- health

- weather

individual characteristics and capabilities

- socio-demographics

- self-efficacy

- knowledge & skills

external contextual factors

1. Interpersonal influences

2. Structural determinants

3. Social context

inter-personal influence

1. social norms

2. social comparison

3. community expectations

4. persuasion & advertisement

social norms

- standards of acceptable individual and group behaviour

- informal agreements that govern behaviour

social comparison

evaluating one's abilities and opinions by comparing oneself with others

community expectations

- what expectations does your family and/or society have of you?

- are those expectations conducive to a sustainable lifestyle?

persuasion and advertisement

globally more money is spent in advertisement than in climate-related financing --> influences consumption levels

structural determinants

1. infrastructure & built environment

2. geo-physical factors

infrastructure and built environment

how is the built environment conducive (or not) to sustainability where you live?

social context

1. laws, regulations, and policies

2. economic incentives

economic incentives

- prices do not include externalities

- energy taxation (ie carbon tax)

- monetary inducements and penalties

pro-environmental behaviours are the product of multiple factors?

True - individual attitudinal factors + personal capabilities + external factors influence PEBs

2 multiple choice options

individual action

- includes private sphere environmentalism and individual buying choices (ie green consumerism)

- often have direct environmental consequences

political action

- environmental activism

- non-activist behaviours in the public sphere

- often have indirect environmental consequences