The Path to More Environmentally Friendly Behavior: A Matter of Self-Efficacy and Social Connectedness

Encouraging pro-environmental behavior (PEB) has become increasingly urgent as the climate crisis worsens. To understand why people take or avoid PEB, it is essential to examine both social and emotional factors that influence everyday decision-making. This study therefore examines whether interpersonal social connectedness and self-efficacy are associated with PEB in young adults and whether this relationship is moderated by self-efficacy. It was expected that higher levels of interpersonal social connectedness would be positively associated with higher levels of PEB, that higher levels of self-efficacy would be positively associated to higher levels of PEB, and that self-efficacy would moderate the association between interpersonal social connectedness and PEB. In this study, 216 university students (39 male, 174 female, and 3 other) participated. They completed questionnaires assessing interpersonal social connectedness and self-efficacy, while PEB was assessed with the Carbon...Show moreEncouraging pro-environmental behavior (PEB) has become increasingly urgent as the climate crisis worsens. To understand why people take or avoid PEB, it is essential to examine both social and emotional factors that influence everyday decision-making. This study therefore examines whether interpersonal social connectedness and self-efficacy are associated with PEB in young adults and whether this relationship is moderated by self-efficacy. It was expected that higher levels of interpersonal social connectedness would be positively associated with higher levels of PEB, that higher levels of self-efficacy would be positively associated to higher levels of PEB, and that self-efficacy would moderate the association between interpersonal social connectedness and PEB. In this study, 216 university students (39 male, 174 female, and 3 other) participated. They completed questionnaires assessing interpersonal social connectedness and self-efficacy, while PEB was assessed with the Carbon Emission Task (CET). This is a behavioral measure in which participants made monetary choices with actual consequences for the environment. The multiple regression analysis showed no significant effects for both the main effect and the moderation effect. Gender, however, was significantly associated with PEB, with women engaging in PEB more frequently. The findings of this study highlight the complexity of PEB and show that individual factors such as social connectedness and self-efficacy alone are insufficient to explain differences in PEB. This suggests that PEB is likely shaped by an interplay of multiple psychological, social, and contextual processes. Future research should therefore focus on a broader range of social and emotional factors, such as social norms. Moreover, this study contributes to the scientific understanding of PEB by employing a behavioral measure rather than relying solely on self-reports, thereby capturing a more realistic picture of PEB. From a practical perspective, the results suggest that interventions targeting young adults should consider combining social and emotional approaches with structural or contextual strategies, such as addressing financial or everyday constraints, to make PEB more attainable. Furthermore, the identified gender difference highlights the importance of considering gender-specific influences to improve the effectiveness of future sustainability interventions.Show less

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The Path to More Environmentally Friendly Behavior: A Matter of Self-Efficacy and Social Connectedness