Predicting Pro-environmental Intention and Behavior Based on Justice Sensitivity, Moral Disengagement, and Moral Emotions – Results of Two Quota-Sampling Surveys

Frontiers in Psychology

Philipp Franikowski¹  Susanne Stoll-Kleemann²  Susanne Nicolai² 

[1] Department of Personality Psychology and Psychological Assessment, Institute of Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany;Department of Sustainability Science and Applied Geography, Institute of Geography and Geology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany;

关键词: justice sensitivity;    climate justice;    moral disengagement;    moral emotions;    pro-environmental behavior;    pro-environmental intention;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2022.914366

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The effects of climate change lead to increasing social injustice and hence justice is intrinsically linked to a socio-ecological transformation. In this study, we investigate whether justice sensitivity motivates pro-environmental intention (PEI) and behavior (PEB) and, if so, to what extent emotions and moral disengagement determine this process. For this purpose, we conducted two quota-sampling surveys (Study 1: N = 174, Study 2: N = 880). Multiple regression analyses in both studies suggest that a higher perception of injustice from a perpetrator’s, beneficiary’s, and observer’s perspective is associated with an increased PEI. However, moral disengagement best predicted PEB and PEI. Guilt and authentic pride were found to be emotional predictors of PEI. Additionally, mediation analyses demonstrated that guilt mediates the connection between both perpetrator and beneficiary sensitivity and PEI. These results suggest that when the predominant originators of climate change (i.e., individuals from industrialized countries) perceive global climate injustice from the perspective of a beneficiary or a perpetrator, they experience guilt and have a higher PEI. Based on this mechanism, it seems promising to render global injustice more salient to those responsible for activities that lead to climate change to motivate them to adapt their behavior. The role of moral disengagement and victim sensitivity as barriers to pro-environmental behavior is discussed in this context.

【 授权许可】

Unknown