Pro-environmental behavior and morality: An economic model with heterogeneous preferences

Ayoubi, Charles; Thurm, Boris

doi:10.31219/osf.io/w8afg

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

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Section: Non-market Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pro-Environmental Behavior and Actions: A Review of the Literature

Zhao¹

2023

Preprint

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This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature on pro-environmental behavior and actions, highlighting key theories, empirical evidence, and practical implications for both sociology and economics. We begin by outlining the foundations of pro-environmental behavior research, drawing from the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), the Value-Belief-Norm Theory (Stern, Dietz, & Guagnano, 1995), and the Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1986) as primary theoretical frameworks. We then discuss the role of individual, social, and contextual factors in shaping pro-environmental behaviors, focusing on the importance of personal values (Schwartz, 1992), environmental concern (Dunlap & Van Liere, 1978), social norms (Cialdini, Reno, & Kallgren, 1990), and self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977).Next, we explore the role of economic incentives in promoting pro-environmental actions, highlighting the effectiveness of market-based instruments, such as carbon pricing (Stavins, 1998) and environmental subsidies (Goulder & Parry, 2008), as well as non-market approaches, like nudges (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008) and informational campaigns (McKenzie-Mohr, 2011). We emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in understanding and promoting pro-environmental behavior, including the integration of behavioral economics (Shogren & Taylor, 2008) and social psychology (Gifford & Nilsson, 2014) within the broader field of environmental studies.In conclusion, we highlight the most promising avenues for future research, such as the role of digital technologies in fostering environmental engagement (Milkoreit et al., 2018), the impact of climate change communication on behavior change (Moser, 2010), and the potential for leveraging social networks and community-based initiatives to promote sustainable lifestyles (Burchell, Rettie, & Patel, 2013). By synthesizing the extensive body of literature on pro-environmental behavior and actions, this paper aims to guide both researchers and practitioners in developing more effective strategies to foster sustainable societies.

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Section: Non-market Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pro-Environmental Behavior and Actions: A Review of the Literature

Zhao¹

2023

Preprint

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Section: Non-market Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent research has also highlighted the importance of moral considerations in shaping pro-environmental behavior (Eichner & Pethig, 2021;Lee, 2021;Ayoubi & Thurm, 2020). Eichner and Pethig (2021) and Ayoubi and Thurm (2020) emphasized the role of "moral consumers" in climate policy, finding that consumers who prioritize moral and ethical concerns in their decision-making process can significantly contribute to the success of environmental policies. Lee (2021) developed and validated a scale to measure consumers' moral preferences, distinguishing between Homo moralis and Homo economicus, and demonstrated that individuals with higher moral preferences are more likely to engage in pro-environmental behavior.…”

Section: Non-market Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pro-Environmental Behavior and Actions: Review of the literature and agenda for future research

Zhao¹

2023

Preprint

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This paper offers a comprehensive review of pro-environmental behavior literature, emphasizing key theories, empirical evidence, and interdisciplinary implications. We discuss the role of individual, social, and contextual factors in shaping pro-environmental behaviors, drawing on major theoretical frameworks. We also examine the effectiveness of economic incentives and non-market approaches in promoting pro-environmental actions, stressing the importance of integrating behavioral economics and social psychology within environmental studies. Finally, we identify promising avenues for future research, including the role of digital technologies, climate change communication, and social networks in fostering sustainable societies. This paper aims to inform researchers and practitioners in developing effective strategies for promoting sustainability.

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“…Voluntary contribution to public goods is not limited to knowledge and data sharing. In fact, whether by financing charity actions that provide no direct personal benefit (Andreoni, 1988; Carpenter & Matthews, 2017), or by performing environmentally friendly actions that are time‐ and effort‐consuming (Ayoubi & Thurm, 2020b; Bruvoll et al, 2002; Sundt & Rehdanz, 2015), selfless contributions to public goods are quite common (Bruhin et al, 2019). Whereas classical models with a homo oeconomicus type of preference would imply no contribution to a public good, empirical evidence from field experiments shows that the level of contribution to the public good is consistently higher than 40% with varying conditions (Andreoni, 1995; Burton‐Chellew et al, 2016; Fischbacher et al, 2001; Ockenfels, 1993).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge diffusion and morality: Why do we freely share valuable information with Strangers?

Ayoubi

Thurm

2022

Economics Manag Strategy

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This article offers a model integrating heterogeneously moral preferences to overcome the seemingly irrational tendency of individuals to freely share data and knowledge. We build on recent literature showing that moral preferences are favored by evolution theoretically, and have a strong explanatory power empirically, to model individual sharing behavior. Our analysis highlights the limit of financial incentives and the importance of promoting a sharing culture by enhancing awareness. Shedding light on how people respond not only to financial but also moral motives, we contribute to the ongoing policy debate on the design of effective open science policies. | INTRODUCTIONRegularly, when confronted with a new concept or when we want to verify a piece of information, we head to consult the corresponding Wikipedia page. As teachers, we consult available online classes to get inspiration for the design of our courses. As programmers, we seek precious debugging advice on Stack Overflow. And as researchers, we benefit from the freely available research and voluntarily shared data. All these informational public goods bring great value in terms of social welfare. However, the availability of this information largely depends on the willingness of contributors who most often voluntarily share without any financial compensation. In this context, it is particularly relevant to better understand the incentives that motivate individuals to freely share knowledge and data with the broadest audience. This article aims to address this question.The act of sharing knowledge and data has the properties of a social dilemma (Lichbach, 1996;Olson, 1965). Contributing to publicly available knowledge maximizes social welfare, but the time and effort required and the lack of compensation drive individuals out of it. With the common assumption of self-centered homo oeconomicus agents, individuals restrain from contributing and the level of sharing is suboptimal. To address this issue, economists have developed various incentive mechanisms, such as taxes, intellectual property rights (IPRs), and public subsidies (Arrow, 1962;Samuelson, 1954;Stiglitz, 1989). However, a significant share of the publicly available knowledge lies outside of these designed incentive mechanisms. Although often acknowledged by economists working on knowledge (Arrow, 1962;Dasgupta & David, 2002;Stephan, 1996), few models integrate non-self-centered motives. The classical economic approach thus fails to explain the contribution to crowdsourced initiatives, such as open-source software and public repositories.Voluntary contribution to public goods is not limited to knowledge and data sharing. In fact, whether by financing charity actions that provide no direct personal benefit (Andreoni, 1988;Carpenter & Matthews, 2017), or by performing

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Pro-environmental behavior and morality: An economic model with heterogeneous preferences

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Pro-Environmental Behavior and Actions: A Review of the Literature

Pro-Environmental Behavior and Actions: A Review of the Literature

Pro-Environmental Behavior and Actions: Review of the literature and agenda for future research

Knowledge diffusion and morality: Why do we freely share valuable information with Strangers?

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