Sustainable behavior, life history strategy, and positive time perspective: A structural model.

Abstract

This study tested a structural model explaining Sustainable Behavior from an evolutionary psychological perspective. Responses of 460 Mexicans to a research instrument were analyzed. This model specified that a K-Factor, indicating a slow life-history strategy, positively influenced a second-order factor (positive time perspective) composed of positive past and future orientations. This, in turn, affected Sustainable Behavior, a higher-order factor indicated by proecological, frugal, altruistic and equitable actions. A three-phase strategy was implemented for the data analysis: obtaining construct validity and reliability indicators of the used measures, conducting invariance tests of constructs by sex and city of location, and testing a structural model of relations between the studied factors. The results support the plausibility of the hypothesized relationships. These results indicate that evolutionary tendencies may play an indirect role in the promotion of Sustainable Behaviors.