The Role of the Ecological Worldview Position in Coping with Problems Caused by Global Environmental Change

The purpose of the study, conducted on the sample of 293 persons, was to identify the role of the ecological worldview position in choosing the ways of coping with problems caused by global environmental change. The ecological worldview position is determined by what exactly is perceived and considered by the person as the basics of his life support: the biosphere/ecological systems or the financial and economic system, represented through commodity and money relations. Using structural equation modeling methods, the influence of the ecological position on the choice of coping strategies as responses to environmental stress was confirmed, as well as its involvement in the regulation of pro-ecological everyday behavior. It was revealed that the ecological worldview position influences the choice of both problem-oriented and emotionally-oriented strategies that allow coping with stressful environmental conditions. The way in which the ecological position influences coping strategies depends on what meanings are decisive in the perception of ecological reality. The dominance of biocentric views promotes the pro-environmental orientation of behavior, while the predominance of monetary and economic meanings enhances non-problem coping. At the same time, the positive influence of the ecological position on problem-focused coping is largely carried out indirectly through the inhibition of deproblematization-focused coping – emotionally oriented coping strategies such as reducing problems and the denial of guilt. The decisive influence of the ecological position on pro-ecological everyday behavior is carried out indirectly – through the strategy of problem solving (positive influence), as well as the strategy of de-emphasizing the threat (negative influence). The direct influence of the ecological position on behavior, as well as an influence exerted indirectly through the denial of guilt is very weak. The negative impact of deproblematization-focused coping on everyday behavior is mediated by the suppression of problem coping.