The current study aimed to comprehensively investigate the psychosocial and socio-economic factors that influence the motivation of the general public to engage in pro-environmental behavior (PEB). Previous research has often focused on these factors separately, resulting in a fragmented understanding of the psychological and sociological aspects of PEB. Moreover, past studies have relied on artificial stimuli and scenarios, limiting the ecological validity of their findings. To address these gaps, we utilized data from the World Values Survey to examine the relationships between psychological well-being, post-materialistic values, political stance, social class, and individuals' attitudes toward and engagement in PEB. Through the implementation of a structural equation model, our findings revealed that post-materialistic values and liberal values were positively associated with increased PEB. Additionally, we discovered that political stances played a mediating role in the relationship between post-materialism and pro-environmental attitudes. Furthermore, we explored the impact of income level on PEB and observed both direct and indirect effects, which interestingly had opposing influences. The complexity of the income effect was further elucidated by examining respondents' psychological well-being. Overall, our study contributes to the existing literature by providing a comprehensive model that integrates psychological and sociological perspectives on PEB. Furthermore, we emphasize the need for policy implementations that foster pro-environmental intentions among the public. These findings have important implications for promoting sustainable behaviors and addressing environmental challenges. Further research is warranted to expand upon these findings and explore additional factors that may influence pro-environmental motivations.

Authors:
Henry Ng, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Cheuk Him Lee, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Henry Ng is currently a Lecturer at the Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong. His research interest includes environmental psychology and Bayesian statistics.

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