Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 7, 2025
05:50
Measuring Light-Switching Behavior Using an Occupancy and Light Data Logger
Published on: January 16, 2020
6.1K
The Relationship Between Sociodemographics and Environmental Values Across Seven European Countries
Rebecca J Sargisson1,2, Judith I M De Groot3, Linda Steg1
1Department of Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
Frontiers in Psychology
|September 28, 2020
Summary
Sociodemographic variables like age and income are poor predictors of environmental values. Only gender and political orientation showed weak links, suggesting alternative segmentation strategies for pro-environmental campaigns.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Psychology
- Sociology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Environmental values (altruistic, biospheric, egoistic) drive pro-environmental behavior.
- Market segmentation using sociodemographics is common for tailoring messages.
- Existing evidence on sociodemographics and environmental values is limited and inconsistent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the predictive power of sociodemographic variables on environmental values.
- To determine if common demographic factors can serve as proxies for environmental values.
- To inform more effective pro-environmental communication strategies.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of survey data from 11,820 participants across seven European countries.
- Statistical examination of relationships between sociodemographic variables (gender, age, income, education, urbanization, political orientation) and environmental values.
- Assessment of the predictive strength of these variables.
Main Results:
- Sociodemographic variables demonstrated minimal association with environmental values overall.
- Gender and political orientation showed weak, yet statistically significant, correlations.
- Men and right-wing individuals exhibited lower altruistic/biospheric and higher egoistic values compared to women and left-wing individuals.
Conclusions:
- Sociodemographic factors are not reliable proxies for understanding or segmenting based on environmental values.
- Behavior-change campaigns may achieve greater impact by employing alternative segmentation approaches.
- Future strategies should explore segmentation beyond traditional demographics for environmental aims.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Dimensions of Health and Illness
9.4K
The factors influencing the health-illness continuum can be internal or external and may or may not be under conscious control. They are related to the following eight human dimensions, and each dimension is interrelated to one other.
9.4K
01:29Environmental Influences on Intelligence
729
Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children...
729
01:29Close Relationships and Culture
148
Culture shapes how people approach attraction, choose partners, and build long-term relationships. While some preferences in mate selection appear consistent across cultures, such as men valuing physical attractiveness and women emphasizing financial resources, cultural contexts influence how these preferences are expressed and prioritized. Marriage extends beyond romantic ideals in many societies and is deeply embedded in social, economic, and religious frameworks.The Role of Culture in Mate...
148
01:26Cultural Influences on Personality
583
Individualist and collectivist cultures emphasize different core values, shaping personality in distinct ways. In individualist cultures, such as those in the United States, England, and Australia, people prioritize independence, competition, and personal achievement. These societies tend to promote self-focused traits, with individuals often reporting higher levels of self-esteem. In contrast, collectivist cultures, commonly found in regions like Asia, Africa, and South America, emphasize...
583
01:26Desirable Characteristics in Others
72
Various factors, including the type of relationship, gender, and duration of the relationship, influence the perception of desirable characteristics in others. While certain traits such as trustworthiness, cooperativeness, agreeableness, and extraversion are universally valued across all relationships, other characteristics are context-dependent and gain prominence based on specific relational dynamics.Universal and Context-Dependent TraitsTrustworthiness and cooperativeness are fundamental...
72
01:50Cross-Sectional Research
12.2K
In cross-sectional research, a researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time. If they were interested in people's dietary habits, the researcher might directly compare different groups of people by age. Instead of following a group of people for 20 years to see how their dietary habits changed from decade to decade, the researcher would study a group of 20-year-old individuals and compare them to a group of 30-year-old individuals and a group of 40-year-old...
12.2K