Shades of green: linking environmental locus of control and pro‐environmental behaviors

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this research was to examine the impact of various attitudes and personality characteristics on environmentally‐friendly behaviors, from a locus of control (LOC) perspective. Specifically, we developed and tested a model linking a related construct, environmental locus of control (ELOC), to a series of pro‐environmental behaviors.Design/methodology/approachThe context related to various personal and household behaviors vis‐à‐vis the environment, and the subject pool consisted of a diverse group of urban consumers. A survey was employed to measure various attitudinal and personality variables corresponding to internal/external locus of control, as well as a battery of pro‐environmental behaviors. The research propositions were tested using a structural equation modeling approach.FindingsWe found four distinct dimensions of ELOC, two of which relate to an external LOC (“biospheric‐altruism” and “corporate skepticism”) and the other two relate to an internal LOC (“economic motivation” and “individual recycling efforts”). We then linked these four dimensions to a variety of pro‐environmental behaviors. Highly variable patterns were obtained, with different dimensions assuming a greater or lesser impact, or no role at all, depending on the specific behavior under analysis.Research limitations/implicationsGeneralizability of the findings is limited due to the sample (urban consumers from one major city), and the method employed (validity of self‐report measures and the non‐experimental nature of the field study).Practical implicationsOur findings highlight the importance of considering the specificity of pro‐environmental behaviors, when assessing the antecedent roles of pro‐environmental attitudes/dispositions, which are in‐and‐of‐themselves, complex and multidimensional.Originality/valueIn this era of environmental degradation, researchers, managers, and public policy makers alike need to consider that pro‐environmental attitudes are composed of multiple dispositional facets, and that the role of these facets is highly context‐specific.

Positive and negative spillover effects from electric car purchase to car use

“…For research in sustainable consumer behaviour, this study verified the manifold motivations of consumers in high cost situations (Cleveland et al, 2005;Stern, 2000). The examination of a wide range of socio-psychological variables in relation to purchase of a car could help the understanding of consumer behaviour for a high-cost high-involvement product, which has been called for in previous research .…”

“…By examining socio-psychological profiles of groups of car buyers, this study contributed to the research in sustainable consumer behavior by verifying the manifold motivation profiles of individuals in high cost situations (Cleveland, Kalamas, & Laroche, 2005;Stern, 2000). The examination of a wide range of sociopsychological variables in relation to purchase of a car could help in the understanding of consumer behavior for a high-cost high-involvement product, which has been called for in previous research (Stern, 2000;Thøgersen, 1999b).…”

Investigating the impact of environmental attitude on the decision to purchase a green product with the mediating role of environmental concern and care for green products

“…Researchers have divided them into two categories: internal and external factors. Internal factors include attitudes, values and beliefs (Cleveland et al, 2005), environmental concerns and environmental knowledge (Brécard et al, 2009), the realization of environmental responsibility, a desire to preserve the environment and reducing the environmental impacts (Kumar and Ghodeswar, 2015). External factors include access to environmental goods and services, economic factors (Stern, 2000), and features related to product, such as quality, efficiency, price, and health (Kumar and Ghodeswar, 2015).…”

Comunicação pró-ambiental: estratégias informacionais, comportamentais e de framing em cartazes

“…A maior parte dos cartazes empregou o framing positivo, o que, de uma forma geral, encoraja a ação do leitor, enfatizando que a mudança dos problemas ambientais está em suas próprias mãos. Esse tipo de apelo se relaciona com a manipulação da percepção de controle comportamental, seja por meio de conceitos como controle comportamental percebido (De Leeuw, Valois, Ajzen, & Schmidt, 2015) ou ELOC (Cleveland, Kalamas, & Laroche, 2005). Por um lado, uma porção desse fenômeno pode estar fundamentada na observação de situações concretas.…”