Intrinsic Motives of Autonomy, Self-Efficacy, and Satisfaction Associated with Two Instances of Sustainable Behavior: Frugality and Equity — Oak Academic Publishing
Research ArticleOpen AccessGoogle Scholar indexed
Intrinsic Motives of Autonomy, Self-Efficacy, and Satisfaction Associated with Two Instances of Sustainable Behavior: Frugality and Equity
This paper explores the relationship between sustainable behavior, indicated by frugal and equitable actions, and three intrinsic motives: satisfaction, autonomy and self-efficacy. One-hundred and seventy-three undergraduates at a Mexican university responded to a questionnaire investigating their sustainable actions and the intrinsic repercussions derived from those actions. Using structural equations, a model is specified and tested, which reveals the presence of a higher-order factor (sustainable behavior) subjacent to a high and significant covariance between frugal and equitable behaviors. The resulting higher-order-factor, in turn, significantly predicts the report of feelings of satisfaction, autonomy, and self-efficacy. These findings are in line with the idea that sustainable behavior is to a good extent self-determined through the operation of intrinsic consequences, which instigate people’s pro-social and pro-environmental actions.
Baessler, J., & Schwarzer, S. (1996). Evaluación de la autoeficacia: Adaptación espanola de la escala de Autoeficacia General [Evaluation of Self-Efficacy: Spanish Adaptation of the General Self-Efficacy Scale]. Ansiedad y Estrés, 2, 1-8.
Bamberg, S., & Moser, G. (2007). Twenty Years after Hines, Hungerford, and Tomera: A New Meta-Analysis of Psycho-Social Determinants of Pro-Environmental Behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 27, 14-25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2006.12.002
Bamberg, S. (2002). Effect of Implementation Intentions on the Actual Performance of New Environmentally Friendly Behaviors—Results of Two Field Experiments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22, 399-411. http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/jevp.2002.0278
Bechtel, R. B., & Corral-Verdugo, V. (2010). Happiness and Sustainable Behavior. In V. Corral, C. García, & M. Frías (Eds.), Psychological Approaches to Sustainability (pp. 433-450). New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Brown, K. W., & Kasser, T. (2005). Are Psychological and Ecological Well-Being Compatible? The Role of Values, Mindfulness, and Lifestyle. Social Indicators Research, 74, 349-368. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11205-004-8207-8
Carpenter, J., & Meyers, C. K. (2007). Why volunteer? Evidence on the Role of Altruism, Reputation, and Incentives. IZA Discussion Paper, 3021. http://www.gate.cnrs.fr/IMG/pdf/Carpenter.pdf
Carrus, G., Bonnes, M., Corral-Verdugo, V., Moser, G., & Sinha, J. (2013). Social-Psychological and Contextual Predictors of Sustainable Water Consumption. In V. Corral, C. García, & M. Frías (Eds.), Psychological Approaches to Sustain- ability (pp. 43-60), New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Corral-Verdugo, V., & Pinheiro, J. (2004). Aproximaciones al estudio de la conducta sustentable [Approaches to the Study of Sustainable Behavior]. Medio Ambiente y Comportamiento Humano, 5, 1-26.
Corral-Verdugo, V., & Domínguez, L. (2011). El rol de los eventos antecedentes y consecuentes en la conducta sustentable [The Role of Antecedent and Consequent Events in Sustainable Behavior]. Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta, 37, 9-29. http://dx.doi.org/10.5514/rmac.v37.i2.26137
Corral-Verdugo, V. (1996). A Structural Model of Reuse and Recycling Behavior in Mexico. Environment and Behavior, 28, 665-696. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/001391659602800505
Corral-Verdugo, V. (2010). Psicología de la Sustentabilidad [Psychology of Sustainability]. Mexico City: Trillas.
Corral-Verdugo, V. (2012). The Positive Psychology of Sustainability. Environment, Development & Sustainability, 14, 651-666. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10668-012-9346-8
Corral-Verdugo, V., Frías, M., & García, C. (2010). Introduction to the Psychological Dimensions of Sustainability. In V. Corral, C. García, & M. Frías (Eds.), Psychological Approaches to Sustainability (pp. 3-18). New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Corral-Verdugo, V., García, C., Castro, L., Viramontes, I., & Limones, R. (2010). Equity and Sustainable Lifestyles. In V. Corral, C. García, & M. Frías (Eds.), Psychological Approaches to Sustainability (pp. 185-204). New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Corral-Verdugo, V., Mireles, J., Tapia, C., & Fraijo, B. (2011). Happiness as a Correlate of Sustainable Behavior. A Study of Proecological, Frugal, Equitable and Altruistic Actions That Promote Subjective Wellbeing. Human Ecology Review, 18, 95-104.
Corral-Verdugo, V., Montiel, M., Sotomayor, M., Frías, M., Tapia, C., & Fraijo, B. (2011). Psychological Wellbeing as Correlate of Sustainable Behaviors. International Journal of Hispanic Psychology, 4, 31-44.
Crompton, T., & Kasser, T. (2009). Meeting Environmental Challenges: The Role of Human Identity. WWF-UK. http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/meeting_environmental_challenges___the_role_of_human_identity.pdf
De Young, R. (1993). Changing Behavior and Making It Stick: The Conceptualization and Management of Conservation Behavior. Environment and Behavior, 25, 485-505. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0013916593253003
De Young, R. (1996). Some Psychological Aspects of a Reduced Consumption Lifestyle: The Role of Intrinsic Satisfaction and Competence Motivation. Environment & Behavior, 28, 358-409. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0013916596283005
De Young, R. (2000). Expanding and Evaluating Motives for Environmentally Responsible Behavior. Journal of Social Issues, 56, 509-526. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/0022-4537.00181
Ehrlich, P., & Ehrlich, A. (2004). One with Niniveh. Politics, Consumption and the Human Future. Washington DC: Shearwater Books.
Eriksson, L., Garvill, J., & Nordlund, A. M. (2008). Interrupting Habitual Car Use: The Importance of Car Habit Strength and Moral Motivation for Personal Car Use Reduction. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 11, 10-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2007.05.004
Geller, E. S. (2002). The Challenge of Increasing Pro-Environment Behavior. In R. B. Bechtel, & A. Churchman (Eds.), Handbook of Environmental Psychology (pp. 525-540). New York: Wiley.
Gifford, R. (2007). Environmental Psychology: Principles and Practice (4th ed.). Colville, WA: Optimal Books.
He, H., Greenberg, S., & Huang, E. (2010). One Size Does Not Fit All: Applying the Transtheoretical Model to Energy Feedback Technology Design. Proceedings of the 28th International Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Atlanta, 10-15 April 2010, 927-936. http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/1753326.1753464
Hernández, B., Tabernero, C., & Suárez, E. (2010). Psychosocial Motivations and Self-Regulation Processes That Activate Environmentally Responsible Behavior. In J. Valentín, & L. Gámez (Eds.), Environmental Psychology: New Developments (pp. 109-126). New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Iwata, O. (2001). Attitudinal Determinants of Environmentally Responsible Behavior. Social Behavior and Personality, 29, 183-190. http://dx.doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2001.29.2.183
Iwata, O. (2002). Coping Style and Three Psychological Measures Associated with Environmentally Responsible Behavior. Social Behavior and Personality, 30, 661-669. http://dx.doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2002.30.7.661
Kurz, T. (2002). The Psychology of Environmentally Sustainable Behavior: Fitting Together Pieces of the Puzzle. Analysis of Social Issues and Public Policy, 2, 257-278. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-2415.2002.00041.x
Lehman, P. H., & Geller, E. S. (2004). Behavior Analysis and Environmental Protection: Accomplishments and Potential for More. Behavior and Social Issues, 13, 13-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v13i1.33
Lindenberg, S., & Steg, L. (2007). Normative, Gain and Hedonic Goal Frames Guiding Environmental Behavior. Journal of Social Issues, 63, 117-137. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2007.00499.x
Oskamp, S. (2000). A Sustainable Future for Humanity? American Psychologist, 55, 496-508. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.5.496
Reeve, J. (1989). The Interest-Enjoyment Distinction in Intrinsic Motivation. Motivation and Emotion, 13, 83-104. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00992956
Ryan, R., & Deci, E. (2000). Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-Being. American Psychologist, 55, 68-78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
Ryff, C. (1989). Happiness Is Everything, or Is It? Explorations on the Meaning of Psychological Well-Being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 1069-1081. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069
Villacorta, M., Koestner, R., & Lekes, M. (2003). Further Validation of the Motivation toward the Environment Scale. Environment & Behavior, 35, 486-505. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0013916503035004003