Motivating pro-environmental choice

Tue, 03 Dec 2013 19:00:00 -0500

Despite ongoing efforts to encourage sustainable behavior and consumers’ claims to be eco-minded, green attitudes are insufficiently reflected in consumers’ choices. Influencing behavioral change is an ongoing challenge in psychology, economics, and consumer behavioral research. Identifying what influences sustainable choices can help improve policies that encourage such behavior. Rather than relying on moral appeals, identity, or individuals’ drive for consistency, we find the degree of real-time accessibility of eco-friendly concepts best explains green preference. These findings imply a two-stage framework that is key to motivating pro-environmental choice: fostering eco-minded attitudes and subsequently triggering those constructs in real-time. Thus reminding individuals of their existing environmentally friendly attitudes is a key component of driving green choices.