IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i19p8716-d1495029.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Predicting Pro-Environmental Behaviours in the Public Sphere: Comparing the Influence of Social Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, Global Warming Awareness and the NEP

Author

Listed:
  • Ankica Kosic

    (Faculty of Medicine & Psychology, Sapienza-University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Paola Passafaro

    (Faculty of Medicine & Psychology, Sapienza-University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Martina Molinari

    (Faculty of Medicine & Psychology, Sapienza-University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

Environmental sustainability depends highly on our ability to identify the determinants of various types of pro-environmental behaviours (PEBs). However, so far, public sphere pro-environmental behaviours (PBS-PEBs) have received little attention in the scientific literature. This paper aims thus to fill this gap by exploring the role of dispositional (i.e., social anxiety and self-efficacy) and social psychological factors (i.e., environmental concern and global warming awareness) in the prediction of PBS-PEBs. An online questionnaire, including measures of these factors, was administered to residents (N = 199) of various Italian cities. The results indicated that (1) dispositional social anxiety (but not self-efficacy) directly (and negatively) predicts PBS-PEBs and that its effect is comparable to that of the social psychological factors considered (environmental concern and global warming awareness); (2) global warming awareness (positively) predicts PBS-PEBs directly, while (3) environmental concern, measured through the NEP scale, does it indirectly. Implications of the results for modelling the role of dispositional anxiety, environmental concern and global warming awareness in studies on PBS-PEBs are briefly outlined.

Suggested Citation

  • Ankica Kosic & Paola Passafaro & Martina Molinari, 2024. "Predicting Pro-Environmental Behaviours in the Public Sphere: Comparing the Influence of Social Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, Global Warming Awareness and the NEP," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:19:p:8716-:d:1495029
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/19/8716/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/19/8716/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anastasia Gkargkavouzi & George Halkos & Steriani Matsiori, 2019. "A Multi-dimensional Measure of Environmental Behavior: Exploring the Predictive Power of Connectedness to Nature, Ecological Worldview and Environmental Concern," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(2), pages 859-879, June.
    2. Bernadette von Dawans & Amalie Trueg & Clemens Kirschbaum & Urs Fischbacher & Markus Heinrichs, 2018. "Acute social and physical stress interact to influence social behavior: The role of social anxiety," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(10), pages 1-21, October.
    3. Yi-Te Chiang & Wei-Ta Fang & Ulas Kaplan & Eric Ng, 2019. "Locus of Control: The Mediation Effect between Emotional Stability and Pro-Environmental Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-14, February.
    4. A. M. Valkengoed & G. Perlaviciute & L. Steg, 2022. "Relationships between climate change perceptions and climate adaptation actions: policy support, information seeking, and behaviour," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 171(1), pages 1-20, March.
    5. Olivier Boiral & Nicolas Raineri & David Talbot, 2018. "Managers’ Citizenship Behaviors for the Environment: A Developmental Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(2), pages 395-409, May.
    6. Matteo Innocenti & Gabriele Santarelli & Gaia Surya Lombardi & Lorenzo Ciabini & Doris Zjalic & Mattia Di Russo & Chiara Cadeddu, 2023. "How Can Climate Change Anxiety Induce Both Pro-Environmental Behaviours and Eco-Paralysis? The Mediating Role of General Self-Efficacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-10, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ralph Hansmann & Claudia R. Binder, 2020. "Determinants of Different Types of Positive Environmental Behaviors: An Analysis of Public and Private Sphere Actions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-30, October.
    2. Alessandro Concari & Gerjo Kok & Pim Martens, 2020. "A Systematic Literature Review of Concepts and Factors Related to Pro-Environmental Consumer Behaviour in Relation to Waste Management Through an Interdisciplinary Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-50, May.
    3. Ping-Han Cheng & Ting-Kuang Yeh & Jen-Che Tsai & Ching-Rong Lin & Chun-Yen Chang, 2019. "Development of an Issue-Situation-Based Board Game: A Systemic Learning Environment for Water Resource Adaptation Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-17, March.
    4. Talat Islam & Saima Ahmad & Ishfaq Ahmed, 2023. "Linking environment specific servant leadership with organizational environmental citizenship behavior: the roles of CSR and attachment anxiety," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 855-879, April.
    5. Justyna Berniak-Woźny & Małgorzata Rataj, 2023. "Towards Green and Sustainable Healthcare: A Literature Review and Research Agenda for Green Leadership in the Healthcare Sector," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-18, January.
    6. Mircea Cătălin Dîrțu & Oara Prundeanu, 2023. "Narcissism and Pro-Environmental Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Self-Monitoring, Environmental Control and Attitudes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-16, January.
    7. Saskia Crucke & Marie Servaes & Tom Kluijtmans & Shana Mertens & Eveline Schollaert, 2022. "Linking environmentally‐specific transformational leadership and employees' green advocacy: The influence of leadership integrity," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(2), pages 406-420, March.
    8. Qian-Cheng Wang & Yi-Xuan Wang & Izzy Yi Jian & Hsi-Hsien Wei & Xuan Liu & Yao-Tian Ma, 2020. "Exploring the “Energy-Saving Personality Traits” in the Office and Household Situation: An Empirical Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-17, July.
    9. C. B. Bhattacharya & Sankar Sen & Laura Marie Edinger-Schons & Michael Neureiter, 2023. "Corporate Purpose and Employee Sustainability Behaviors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(4), pages 963-981, April.
    10. Pagnarith Srun & Kiyo Kurisu, 2019. "Internal and External Influential Factors on Waste Disposal Behavior in Public Open Spaces in Phnom Penh, Cambodia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-14, March.
    11. Zahid Hameed & Rana Muhammad Naeem & Tahir Islam & Safiya Mukhtar Alshibani, 2024. "How does CEO ethical leadership transform Saudi SMEs into green firms? A moderated mediation model," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 3855-3868, September.
    12. Pinky Kumawat & Cristina Pronello, 2021. "Validating Italian General Ecological Behaviour Questionnaire of Travellers Using Dichotomous Rasch Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-25, October.
    13. Halkos, George & Matsiori, Steriani, 2022. "Understanding the public’s perceptions of the importance, management, and conservation of biodiversity," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 262-270.
    14. Shreya S. Shrikhande & Sonja Merten & Olga Cambaco & Tristan Lee & Ravivarman Lakshmanasamy & Martin Röösli & Mohammad Aqiel Dalvie & Jürg Utzinger & Guéladio Cissé, 2023. "“Climate Change and Health?”: Knowledge and Perceptions among Key Stakeholders in Puducherry, India," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-18, March.
    15. Natalia Solano-Pinto & Dunia Garrido & Felipe Gértrudix-Barrio & Raquel Fernández-Cézar, 2020. "Is Knowledge of Circular Economy, Pro-Environmental Behavior, Satisfaction with Life, and Beliefs a Predictor of Connectedness to Nature in Rural Children and Adolescents? A Pilot Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-13, November.
    16. Cato Waeterloos & Peter Conradie & Michel Walrave & Koen Ponnet, 2021. "Digital Issue Movements: Political Repertoires and Drivers of Participation among Belgian Youth in the Context of ‘School Strike for Climate’," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-19, September.
    17. Ali Nawaz Khan, 2024. "Unexpected Ally: Can Social Exclusion Boost Quality of Life Through Green Choices?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 175(1), pages 295-315, October.
    18. Junqian He & Hyosun Kim, 2021. "The Effect of Socially Responsible HRM on Organizational Citizenship Behavior for the Environment: A Proactive Motivation Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-21, July.
    19. Tian Liang & Fei Yang & Yinchen Luo & Mengying Fang & Xi Huang & Zhiyong Zhang & Chuanhao Wen & Xiaohong Ren, 2022. "The Synchronous Development Pattern and Type Division of Functional Coupling Coordination and Human Activity Intensity Based on the “Production–Living–Ecological” Space Perspective: A Case Study of Wa," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-17, October.
    20. Hongdan Zhao & Qiongyao Zhou & Peixu He & Cuiling Jiang, 2021. "How and When Does Socially Responsible HRM Affect Employees’ Organizational Citizenship Behaviors Toward the Environment?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(2), pages 371-385, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:19:p:8716-:d:1495029. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.