Social Mindfulness and Environmental Concern: Individual level: Research into the correlation on an individual level

The present study adds to the evolving literature on the relationship between social mindfulness (SoMi) and environmental concern (EC) on an individual level. Investigating this relationship is valuable given the suggested implications of SoMi fluctuations for societal and environmental outcomes (e.g., scarcity and natural resources affecting future generations). Building on existing literature by Van Doesum et al. (2021) and Kirkland et al. (2022), we hypothesized a positive correlation between SoMi and EC on an individual level. We operationalized environmental concern across three dimensions based on the Theory of Planned Behavior: Attitude, behavior and intent (i.e., all towards being environmentally conscious), and investigated the expected SoMi-EC relationship per facet separately. Additionally, we examined the potential connection between SoMi and environmentally friendly consumer behavior, also expecting a positive correlation. Results from a survey of N = 108 participants...Show moreThe present study adds to the evolving literature on the relationship between social mindfulness (SoMi) and environmental concern (EC) on an individual level. Investigating this relationship is valuable given the suggested implications of SoMi fluctuations for societal and environmental outcomes (e.g., scarcity and natural resources affecting future generations). Building on existing literature by Van Doesum et al. (2021) and Kirkland et al. (2022), we hypothesized a positive correlation between SoMi and EC on an individual level. We operationalized environmental concern across three dimensions based on the Theory of Planned Behavior: Attitude, behavior and intent (i.e., all towards being environmentally conscious), and investigated the expected SoMi-EC relationship per facet separately. Additionally, we examined the potential connection between SoMi and environmentally friendly consumer behavior, also expecting a positive correlation. Results from a survey of N = 108 participants revealed that greater levels of social mindfulness correspond to increased intentions to behave more environmentally conscious, emphasizing the importance of promoting these concepts to mitigate environmental harm. However, we did not observe a similar relationship between social mindfulness and the facets attitude and (consumer)behavior, indicating a gap between the three dimensions. Future research should focus on addressing this gap to gain a more nuanced understanding of the complete SoMi-EC relationship. As environmental concerns grow increasingly urgent, understanding these dynamics are imperative for future decision-making and the development of effective interventions.Show less

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Social Mindfulness and Environmental Concern: Individual level: Research into the correlation on an individual level