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Comment: This short description here limits it to climate change, wheras I believe the topic is much wider, for example avoiding subjecting other people to air pollution should be mentioned too Chidgk1 (talk) 13:21, 13 December 2023 (UTC)
- Comment: Suggest Barriers to pro-environmental behaviour is renamed to this title (contact me on my talk page if you want me to rename) and useful content from here moved into that article. Pretty much everything here is good I think, except I strongly object to Wynes and Nicholas (2017) as explained in detail at Talk:Individual_action_on_climate_change#Problems_with_the_having_fewer_children_action Chidgk1 (talk) 13:12, 13 December 2023 (UTC)
Pro-environmental behavior edit
Pro-environmental behavior (PEB) is “behavior that consciously seeks to minimize the negative impact of one’s actions on the natural and built world (e.g. minimize resource and energy consumption, use of non-toxic substances, reduce waste production).”[1] Pro-environmental behavior is important because it can help to mitigate the effects of climate change and other environmental problems.
Factors affecting pro-environmental behavior edit
Research has identified several factors that can affect an individual's or group's willingness to engage in pro-environmental behavior. These factors can be broadly categorized into three groups: knowledge, risk perception, and self-interest.[2]
Knowledge edit
Individuals who have a basic scientific understanding and procedural knowledge about climate change are more likely to engage in pro-environmental behavior. This is because knowledge can help people to understand the consequences of their actions and the importance of taking action.
Knowledge affects pro-environmental behavior through three prominent forms:
- Awareness of climate change as a rise in worldwide average temperature that is attributable to human actions;
- Understanding of climate change (which implies awareness), which represents the minimum degree of knowledge that allows people to understand the essence of climate change.
- Procedural knowledge, which provides the individual with locally contextualized practical information on how to translate their environmental concern into concrete action.
In addition, to ensure the effectiveness of pro-environmental behavior, it is crucial to address the climate mitigation gap. For instance, the study by Wynes and Nicholas (2017) highlights the discrepancy between actions that individuals are currently taking to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and the actions that are most effective in achieving significant reductions.[3]
Risk perception edit
Individuals who experience climate change as a significant threat to themselves or their communities are more likely to engage in pro-environmental behavior. This is because risk perception may serve as a motivational factor for people to take action and protect themselves.
However, surveys show a disparity between global concern and personal risk perception, as the abstract nature of climate change and its unforeseeable concrete impacts contribute to a lack of perceived threat, leading to a sense of detachment from the global dimension of climate change.
In addition, tackling climate change may seem like an unreachable goal for an individuals. This relates to goal setting theory and emphasizes the need for clear information and actionable measures.[4]
Self-interest edit
Individuals who perceive environmentally friendly practices as beneficial to themselves, such as saving money or improving health, are more likely to engage in pro-environmental behavior. This can take the form of financial incentives, such as tax breaks or rebates for energy-efficient products, or social incentives, such as gaining the approval of friends, family, or colleagues.
However, there are also several psychological obstacles to a rational management of self-interest in the context of climate change:
- Individuals may discount future benefits and costs, making it difficult for them to see the long-term benefits of pro-environmental behavior.
- Addressing climate change may be further complicated by "status quo bias," which suggests that individuals naturally prefer to stick to their current situation, often overestimating the uncertainties and drawbacks linked to altering their present arrangements.[5]
- In addition, individuals often make decisions based on what others are doing, even if it is not the most economically advantageous option.[6][7]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Kollmuss, Anja; Agyeman, Julian (August 2002). "Mind the Gap: Why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior?". Environmental Education Research. 8 (3): 239–260. doi:10.1080/13504620220145401. ISSN 1350-4622.
- ^ Pongiglione, Francesca (2011). "Climate Change and Individual Decision Making: An Examination of Knowledge, Risk Perception, Self-Interest and their Interplay". SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1960496. ISSN 1556-5068. S2CID 142567793.
- ^ Wynes, Seth; Nicholas, Kimberly A (2017-07-01). "The climate mitigation gap: education and government recommendations miss the most effective individual actions". Environmental Research Letters. 12 (7): 074024. Bibcode:2017ERL....12g4024W. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aa7541. ISSN 1748-9326.
- ^ Locke, Edwin A.; Latham, Gary P. (September 2002). "Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey". American Psychologist. 57 (9): 705–717. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.57.9.705. ISSN 1935-990X. PMID 12237980. S2CID 17534210.
- ^ Bazerman, Max H. (2005). "Climate Change as a Predictable Surprise". SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.785990. ISSN 1556-5068. S2CID 153998701.
- ^ McNamara, S.; Grubb, M. (2011-02-24). "The Psychological Underpinnings of the Consumer Role in Energy Demand and Carbon Abatement". Apollo-University Of Cambridge Repository, Apollo-University Of Cambridge Repository. doi:10.17863/CAM.977.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Fransson, Niklas; Gärling, Tommy (December 1999). "Environmental Concern: Conceptual Definitions, Measurement Methods, and Research Findings". Journal of Environmental Psychology. 19 (4): 369–382. doi:10.1006/jevp.1999.0141.