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Public Support for Pro-Environmental Policy Measures: Examining the Impact of Personal Values and Ideology

Author

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  • Niklas Harring

    (Centre for Collective Action Research, Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
    Department of Humanities and Social Science Education, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Sverker C. Jagers

    (Centre for Collective Action Research, Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
    Political Science Unit, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden)

  • Simon Matti

    (Political Science Unit, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden)

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between two major explanations of the formation of positive attitudes towards environmental policy measures. Ideological orientation and personal values have, in theory, significant overlaps in the sense that they collect general and cross-situational sentiments used to understand and evaluate a wide range of political issues. However, in the empirical literature, although they independently have been shown to have rather significant effects on pro-environmental policy attitudes, they are rarely tested together in order to explore whether they capture the same basic mechanisms. In this article, two data sets from Sweden are used to demonstrate both that ideological orientation and personal values independently affect pro-environmental policy support, as well as that these effects differ across different policy types.

Suggested Citation

  • Niklas Harring & Sverker C. Jagers & Simon Matti, 2017. "Public Support for Pro-Environmental Policy Measures: Examining the Impact of Personal Values and Ideology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-14, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:5:p:679-:d:96707
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    References listed on IDEAS

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