Is pro-environmental effort affected by information about others’ behavior?

IF 6.6 2区经济学 Q1 ECOLOGY

Ecological Economics Pub Date : 2024-11-04 DOI:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2024.108437

Dominik Suri , Niklas Bongers , Sebastian Kube

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Strengthening pro-environmental behavior, as well as understanding its drivers, is crucial for the fight against global warming. In this study, we (i) shed light on the behavioral determinants of pro-environmental efforts and (ii) explore the potential of information provision (about others’ efforts) to shape pro-environmental behavior. US citizens (

n = 782

) in our online experiment are given the opportunity to work on a limited number of real-effort transcription tasks. For each task completed, one tree is planted via a specialized charitable organization. In addition to this incentivized measure of pro-environmental effort, we elicit subjects’ (beliefs about others’) willingness to fight global warming, both in general and w.r.t. specific actions. We find that these beliefs are updated, in particular by subjects that underestimate the actual value, when information about others’ actual willingness to fight global warming is provided. Surprisingly, the observed significant upward shift in beliefs does not translate into higher levels of exerted pro-environmental effort. In addition to our main results, we provide correlational evidence that economic preferences, in particular altruism and positive reciprocity, and universalist values are deeply intertwined with acting pro-environmentally.

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支持环保的努力是否会受到他人行为信息的影响？

加强亲环境行为并了解其驱动因素，对于应对全球变暖至关重要。在本研究中，我们(i) 阐明了亲环境行为的决定因素，(ii) 探索了提供信息（关于他人努力的信息）塑造亲环境行为的潜力。在我们的在线实验中，美国公民（n=782）有机会完成数量有限的真实努力转录任务。每完成一项任务，就会通过专门的慈善组织种植一棵树。除了对环保努力的激励措施外，我们还从总体和具体行动两方面了解受试者（对他人）对抗全球变暖的意愿。我们发现，当提供有关他人对抗全球变暖的实际意愿的信息时，这些信念会被更新，尤其是那些低估实际价值的受试者。令人惊讶的是，观察到的信念的显著上移并没有转化为更高水平的环保努力。除主要结果外，我们还提供了相关证据，证明经济偏好（尤其是利他主义和积极互惠）和普世价值观与环保行为密切相关。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Ecological Economics 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

12.00

自引率

5.70%

发文量

313

审稿时长

6 months

期刊介绍： Ecological Economics is concerned with extending and integrating the understanding of the interfaces and interplay between "nature''s household" (ecosystems) and "humanity''s household" (the economy). Ecological economics is an interdisciplinary field defined by a set of concrete problems or challenges related to governing economic activity in a way that promotes human well-being, sustainability, and justice. The journal thus emphasizes critical work that draws on and integrates elements of ecological science, economics, and the analysis of values, behaviors, cultural practices, institutional structures, and societal dynamics. The journal is transdisciplinary in spirit and methodologically open, drawing on the insights offered by a variety of intellectual traditions, and appealing to a diverse readership. Specific research areas covered include: valuation of natural resources, sustainable agriculture and development, ecologically integrated technology, integrated ecologic-economic modelling at scales from local to regional to global, implications of thermodynamics for economics and ecology, renewable resource management and conservation, critical assessments of the basic assumptions underlying current economic and ecological paradigms and the implications of alternative assumptions, economic and ecological consequences of genetically engineered organisms, and gene pool inventory and management, alternative principles for valuing natural wealth, integrating natural resources and environmental services into national income and wealth accounts, methods of implementing efficient environmental policies, case studies of economic-ecologic conflict or harmony, etc. New issues in this area are rapidly emerging and will find a ready forum in Ecological Economics.