Good Intents, but Low Impacts: Diverging Importance of Motivational and Socioeconomic Determinants Explaining Pro-Environmental Behavior, Energy Use, and Carbon Footprint
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BORIS DOI
Date of Publication
July 1, 2018
Publication Type
Article
Division/Institute
Author
Kleinhückelkotten, Silke |
Series
Environment and behavior
ISSN or ISBN (if monograph)
0013-9165
Publisher
Sage
Language
English
Publisher DOI
Description
Earlier research has yielded contradictory results as to the main drivers of environmentally
significant behavior. Intent-oriented research has stressed the importance of motivational
aspects, while impact-oriented research has drawn attention to people’s socio-economic
status. In this study, we investigated the diverging role of a pro-environmental stance under these two research perspectives. Data from a German survey (N = 1,012) enabled assessment of per capita energy use, and individual carbon footprints (impact-related measures), proenvironmental behavior (an intent-related measure), and behavior indicators varying in environmental impact and intent. Regression analyses revealed people’s environmental selfidentity to be the main predictor of pro-environmental behavior; however, environmental self-identity played an ambiguous role in predicting actual environmental impacts. Instead, environmental impacts were best predicted by people’s income level. Our results show that individuals with high pro-environmental self-identity intend to behave in an ecologically responsible way, but they typically emphasize actions that have relatively small ecological benefits.
significant behavior. Intent-oriented research has stressed the importance of motivational
aspects, while impact-oriented research has drawn attention to people’s socio-economic
status. In this study, we investigated the diverging role of a pro-environmental stance under these two research perspectives. Data from a German survey (N = 1,012) enabled assessment of per capita energy use, and individual carbon footprints (impact-related measures), proenvironmental behavior (an intent-related measure), and behavior indicators varying in environmental impact and intent. Regression analyses revealed people’s environmental selfidentity to be the main predictor of pro-environmental behavior; however, environmental self-identity played an ambiguous role in predicting actual environmental impacts. Instead, environmental impacts were best predicted by people’s income level. Our results show that individuals with high pro-environmental self-identity intend to behave in an ecologically responsible way, but they typically emphasize actions that have relatively small ecological benefits.
File(s)
File | File Type | Format | Size | License | Publisher/Copright statement | Content | |
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Moser2017_postscript.pdf | text | Adobe PDF | 844.11 KB | accepted |