The role of attitudes and attention in pro-environmental decision-making: An eye-tracking study

Abstract

Encouraging environmentally sustainable lifestyles demands a deeper understanding of the processes underlying pro-environmental decision-making. This study investigates the role of environmental attitudes and attentional processes using eye-tracking technology during a decision-making task that involves real trade-offs between personal financial rewards and environmental consequences. We found partial evidence that stronger environmental attitudes – derived from the Campbell paradigm, but not from biospheric values – predicted an attentional prioritization of environmental information (i.e., carbon emissions). Specifically, stronger Campbellian attitudes were associated with a higher proportion of fixation time on this information, and an increasing likelihood of fixating this information first once participants became familiar with the task. However, the former effect may partly reflect gender-related differences in ecological considerations. The attention-behavior link appears context-dependent, influenced by factors such as the magnitude of financial incentives and environmental stakes. Our findings suggest that, while attentional processes may play a significant role in less financially rewarding pro-environmental decisions, they do not predict those with high financial stakes. These insights underscore the importance of considering both attentional dynamics and decision context in developing strategies to promote pro-environmental choices.