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Faster, harder, greener? Empirical evidence on the role of the individual Pace of Life for productivity and pro-environmental behavior

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  • Hoffmann, Christin
  • Hoppe, Julia Amelie
  • Ziemann, Niklas

Abstract

Against the background of the current “Speed-Up Society,” which seems to foster a trade-off between economic success and climate change, we study whether the individual Pace of Life is associated with productivity and pro-environmental behavior on the micro-level. In a controlled laboratory environment with students in Germany, we measured the productivity of participants in a real effort task, quantified their pro-environmental behavior, and recorded their individual Pace of Life. We find that individuals with a fast Pace of Life are significantly more productive. However, individuals with a fast Pace of Life behave less pro-environmentally if they are men and more pro-environmentally if they are women.

Suggested Citation

  • Hoffmann, Christin & Hoppe, Julia Amelie & Ziemann, Niklas, 2022. "Faster, harder, greener? Empirical evidence on the role of the individual Pace of Life for productivity and pro-environmental behavior," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:191:y:2022:i:c:s0921800921002718
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107212
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Charitable giving; Limits of growth; Pace of Life; Pro-environmental behavior; Speed-Up Society;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics

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