Dr Anna Cooke

Household pro-environmental behaviour: the role of internalised motivation and positive emotions

To facilitate the widespread change needed to reduce the devastating impact humans have on the natural systems we depend on, research is needed to identify predictors of the behaviour of people who have a low environmental impact. The current study expands on two preliminary research findings: that internalised (self-determined) motivation for pro-environmental behaviour was related to levels of behaviour, and that perceiving support for own choices and self-direction of actions (perceiving autonomy for action) is related to internalised motivation. The study aimed to identify additional predictors of internalised motivation for pro-environmental behaviour, and mediators of the motivation-behaviour relationship. A convenience sample of 608 Australian community members completed an online survey, regarding their motivation for pro-environmental behaviour at home. Structural equation modelling confirmed the hypothesis that having higher levels of internalised motivation for environmental behaviour (reasons for acting including enjoyment found in environmental action, and integration of environmental action into sense of self) was related to a greater range of pro-environmental behaviour. Perceiving autonomy (choice) and competence (mastery) for environmental behaviour, and relatedness (connection to others) in environmental behaviour, were all related to internalised motivation, and each of these relationships were mediated by an increase in positive emotions relating to environmental action.

Anna Cooke (University of Queensland) - a.cooke@psy.uq.edu.au

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