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Does behaving green influence how we feel? pro-environmental behaviour and subjective well-being
1Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, ECOMARE, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. mlobopinho@ua.pt.
BMC Psychology
|November 4, 2025
Summary
Stronger environmental identity and climate change perceptions increase pro-environmental behaviors, which in turn enhance well-being. Understanding these links is key to motivating climate action.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Psychology
- Climate Change Science
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- The climate crisis necessitates urgent societal action, including increased pro-environmental behaviors.
- Understanding the drivers of these behaviors is crucial for effective climate change mitigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of social-psychological factors on pro-environmental behavior.
- To examine the relationship between pro-environmental behavior and subjective well-being.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a nationally representative sample.
- Analyzed the role of environmental identity, climate change perceptions, and climate anxiety.
- Assessed conservation, sustainable transportation, and food-related behaviors.
Main Results:
- Environmental identity, climate change perceptions, and direct experience positively correlated with pro-environmental behaviors.
- Climate anxiety was positively associated with all examined pro-environmental behavior categories.
- Engaging in pro-environmental behaviors was linked to increased positive affect and decreased negative affect, mediated by climate anxiety.
Conclusions:
- Findings provide insights into motivating climate action for climate change mitigation.
- Highlights the importance of psychological factors in promoting sustainable behaviors.
- Suggests a pathway through which climate action can improve subjective well-being.
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