Peer Influences and Proenvironmental Behavior: Panel Evidence for the Role of Regional Prevalence and Diversity

Abstract

Pro-environmental behavior depends on the behavior of others. For a UK panel data set, we find that individuals' pro-environmental behavior increases in the behavior of peers in their region. This happens the more so, the greener the self-image of an individual. Diversity of regional green behavior plays a further role, with fractionalization negatively related to pro-environmental behavior and polarization positively so: peer pressure exerts a less strong influence when behaviors are diverse, and a stronger influence when behaviors are very polarized.