Mitigating Perceived Environment Insignificance Through Information Engagement

Abstract

A well-functioning natural environment benefits individuals’ well-being, but people tend to overlook this personally relevant benefit because they feel remote from the environment (also known as psychological distance). Drawing on the construal level theory, we proposed environmental information engagement as a way to mitigate psychological distance. We assert that prolonged exposure to and interaction with environmental information decreases the abstractness of environmental issues thereby lowering psychological distance. Cross-lagged analyses using data from a national longitudinal survey in China (N = 2,322) verified this effect both instantly and over time. However, the effect was not detected in people with weak environmental values. Theoretical and practical implications are provided.