Can positive and self-transcendent emotions promote pro-environmental behavior?

Abstract

Many scholars have suggested that people could improve their well-being by developing closer connections with nature, and that this would also promote the sustainable behaviors needed to address climate change. Research generally corroborates this idea, but few studies have examined the more specific hypothesis that positive emotions (caused by nature or otherwise) can directly influence pro-environmental behaviors. In particular, self-transcendent emotions such as awe, compassion, and gratitude can be prompted by nature, and they seem to foster prosocial behaviors. Most pro-environmental behaviors are also pro-social; they require cooperation and they benefit others. Some recent studies suggest that self-transcendent emotions can cause pro-environmental behavior, though results are mixed overall. We identify strategies for future research to resolve these inconclusive suggestions.

Environmental Behavior of Youth and Sustainable Development

“…The value-based attitude to nature is the "foundation" of the emergence and improvement of an environmentally oriented personality. In ecological behavior, people can show such feelings as love for nature [41], emotional perception of changes in the external environment [40,42], a sense of "socio-territorial belonging" [43], connectedness with nature [44][45][46]. People's connection to nature is expressed in their sense of physical and/or emotional connection with biotic and abiotic elements [47].…”

The Effect of Preceding Self-Control on Green Consumption Behavior: The Moderating Role of Moral Elevation

“… 29 Consequently, moral elevation, the most effective positive affect to improve pro-environmental behavior, alleviated the detrimental effects of exerting self-control on green consumption behavior in the present study. 36 , 40 Furthermore, according to the Broaden-and-Build Theory, positive affect can replenish self-control resources and weaken the detrimental effects of exerting self-control on subsequent self-control tasks. 20 , 22 , 23 Thus, we speculate that moral elevation may have remarkable power to replenish self-control resources and restore individuals’ capacity to exert control and volition.…”

“…However, the inner process of how moral elevation counteracts ego depletion and its underlying neural mechanisms should be considered in future studies. Moreover, whether other self-transcendence emotions—such as awe, gratitude, and compassion—can moderate the negative effect of exerting self-control on green consumption behavior can be further explored, 40 , 68 and these effects can be compared with the effects of moral elevation found in this study.…”

“… 23 , 24 Moral elevation is the most effective way to improve pro-environmental behavior. 20 , 40 However, little is known about whether and how moral elevation moderates the negative effect of exerting self-control on green consumption behavior. Therefore, we explored the effect of moral elevation and exerting self-control on green consumption behavior in Experiment 2.…”

“… 35 , 36 Prior research has demonstrated that moral elevation is distinct from other positive emotions; 37 , 38 compared with other positive emotions, moral elevation is the most effective way to improve pro-environmental behavior. 36 , 39 , 40 However, whether moral elevation could moderate the negative relationship between self-control and green consumption behavior remains unknown. In Experiment 2, we aimed to explore the effect of moral elevation and exerting self-control on pro-environmental behaviors.…”