Intrinsic and extrinsic benefits as promoters of pro-environmental behaviour / Beneficios intrínsecos y extrínsecos como promotores de la conducta proambiental

Abstract

Abstract The practice of pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) can generate positive consequences for the environment and for those who engage in such behaviour. This study suggests that such consequences can, in turn, promote the future practice of pro-environmental actions. A structural model was tested, including the intrinsic and extrinsic benefits of PEB experienced by people as exogenous variables, and PEB as the endogenous variable, on a sample of 360 inhabitants of Mexico City. The model fit the data adequately and explained 24% of variance in PEB. Intrinsic and extrinsic benefits positively and significantly affected PEB, and also presented a moderately strong relationship between them, which could indicate that both types of benefits might jointly foster pro-environmental actions.