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Positive affect and pro-environmental behavior: A preregistered experiment

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  • Lange, Florian
  • Dewitte, Siegfried

Abstract

In recent years, correlational evidence has accumulated in support of a positive relationship between positive affect and pro-environmental behavior. In contrast, it remains unclear whether the induction of positive affect can causally promote pro-environmental behavior. Previous attempts to examine the effects of experimental affect induction were constrained by the difficulty to study pro-environmental behavior under controlled laboratory conditions. Here, we address this limitation by examining the effect of a validated affect-induction procedure on a recently validated laboratory measure of pro-environmental behavior. Participants in our preregistered experiment (N = 178) watched and rated video clips pretested to induce either positive or neutral affect before completing 24 trials on the Pro-Environmental Behavior Task (PEBT). Results did not reveal any evidence in support of a positive effect of positive affect on PEBT behavior. This result illustrates the need for further systematic and cumulative research on the complex relationship between affect and pro-environmental behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Lange, Florian & Dewitte, Siegfried, 2020. "Positive affect and pro-environmental behavior: A preregistered experiment," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:80:y:2020:i:c:s0167487020300489
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2020.102291
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    7. Xingping Cao & Junlin Qiu & Leyu Wang & Gefen Zhou, 2022. "An Integrative Model of Tourists’ Pro-Environmental Behavior Based on the Dual Path of Rational Planning and Embodied Emotion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-19, June.
    8. Xi Ouyang & Wen’e Qi & Donghui Song & Jianjun Zhou, 2022. "Does Subjective Well-Being Promote Pro-Environmental Behaviors? Evidence from Rural Residents in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-19, May.

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