Ego or Eco? Neither Ecological nor Egoistic Appeals of Persuasive Climate Change Messages Impacted Pro-Environmental Behavior

Abstract

Based on the ‘Inclusion Model of Environmental Concern’, we tested whether daily messaging intervention increases participants’ pro-environmental behavior (PEB). In a two (time: pre vs. post, repeated measure) × three (condition: egoistic appeals, ecological appeals, control group) experimental design, two hundred and eighteen individuals received either daily messages containing egoistic appeals for action to prevent climate change (e.g., preventing personal consequences of released diseases in melting arctic ice), ecological appeals (e.g., ecological consequences of melting glaciers), or no messages (control). PEB was assessed via self-reports and donations to an environmental organization. Neither of the appeals had an effect on the two dependent measures. Irrespective of experimental conditions, self-reported PEB was higher in the post- compared with the pre-test. Overall, the present results do not provide support for the effectiveness of a daily messaging technique. Instead, it appears that ‘being observed’ is the more effective ‘intervention’. Implications for how to foster PEB are discussed.

Evaluating the Effect of Framing Energy Consumption in Terms of Losses versus Gains on Air-Conditioner Use: A Field Experiment in a Student Dormitory in Japan

“…In line with several recent studies (e.g., [18][19][20]), the present study did not find evidence for the effect of environmental impact messages on environmentally relevant behavior. However, it must be noted that each of our three experimental conditions (even the neutral control condition) involved some kind of information about the environmental consequences of participants' air-conditioner use.…”

“…Previous evaluations of environmental impact messages (often also referred to as biospheric appeals) have found mixed results. Some studies have found positive effects on conservation behavior or its proposed psychological antecedents [14][15][16][17], whereas others found no such effects [18][19][20].…”

Changing Pro-Environmental Behavior: Evidence from (Un)Successful Intervention Studies

“…Next to these cross-sectional studies, two online studies also used a longitudinal approach, measuring pro-environmental behavior at two or more time points and administering the intervention in between. Kesenheimer and Greitemeyer [22] examined whether daily text message appeals would increase pro-environmental donations and pro-environmental behavior on a multi-item self-report scale, and Tröger and colleagues [23] investigated the effect of reflective diary-writing on self-reported sufficiency-oriented behaviors.…”

Going Green (and Not Being Just More Pro-Social): Do Attitude and Personality Specifically Influence Pro-Environmental Behavior?

“…Nature-based online and book texts could therefore be helpful to promote PEB in school and leisure. For example, a smartphone-based intervention [55] providing nature-based literature might be helpful. From a psychological viewpoint, such interventions to promote pro-environmental attitudes could help to achieve sustainable development goals, especially those that emphasize "the need to improve energy efficiency, increase the share of clean and renewable energies and improve sustainable consumption patterns worldwide" (SDG 12; [56], p. 1).…”