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Environmental Identity, Connectedness with Nature, and Well-Being as Predictors of Pro-Environmental Behavior, and Their Comparison between Inhabitants of Rural and Urban Areas

Author

Listed:
  • Willian Sierra-Barón

    (Sintropia Research Group, Universidad Surcolombiana, Neiva 110311, Colombia)

  • Pablo Olivos-Jara

    (School of Labour Relations and Human Resources, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Plaza de la Universidad 1, 02071 Albacete, Spain)

  • Andrés Gómez-Acosta

    (Faculty of Health, Department of Psychology, Universidad de Pamplona, Pamplona 543050, Colombia)

  • Oscar Navarro

    (Laboratoire CHROME, Université de Nîmes, 30021 Nîmes, France)

Abstract

The study of factors that predict pro-environmental behavior is interesting, given the need to develop sustainable actions in urban and rural contexts. The available scientific evidence shows knowledge gaps and opportunities about the role that environmental identity, connectedness with nature, and well-being play in pro-environmental behavior. To provide evidence in this regard, this research aimed to describe and identify possible significant differences between these variables to establish whether they predict pro-environmental behavior, considering the rural-urban provenance. The methodology was cross-sectional, with descriptive and correlational analysis. The sample was 1705 people (M age = 31.36 years, 57.4% female) belonging to two departments in southern Colombia (66.7% from the rural sector), and questionnaires were applied to collect the information. The results show that people of rural origin showed higher levels of environmental identity with significant differences ( p -value > 0.01) compared to the urban sample. The indicators of psychological health, connectedness with nature, and identity better explain the levels of pro-environmental behavior of the urban population (R = 0.81, p -value < 0.01) compared to the rural population (R = 0.64, p -value < 0.01). This study concludes that the variables predict pro-environmental behavior, providing better explanatory evidence in urban than rural inhabitants. The limitations and new study prospects in the area are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Willian Sierra-Barón & Pablo Olivos-Jara & Andrés Gómez-Acosta & Oscar Navarro, 2023. "Environmental Identity, Connectedness with Nature, and Well-Being as Predictors of Pro-Environmental Behavior, and Their Comparison between Inhabitants of Rural and Urban Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-14, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:5:p:4525-:d:1086472
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    1. Paulo Ferrajão & Nuno Torres & Amadeu Quelhas Martins, 2024. "Adaptation of the Revised Environmental Identity Scale to Adult Portuguese Native Speakers: A Validity and Reliability Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Bayne, Karen M. & Grant, Andrea, 2024. "Who cares what happens with planted forests? A public typology to assist community engagement and communication," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    3. Colette Konietzny & Jirka Konietzny & Albert Caruana, 2024. "Drivers of Pro-Ecological Behaviour Norms among Environmentalists, Hunters and the General Public," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-14, February.
    4. Willian Sierra-Barón & Andrés Gómez-Acosta & María Delfina Luna-Krauletz & Sergio Falla-Tapias & Erika Judith López-Santamaria, 2025. "Measurement of Connectedness with Nature: Evidence of Validity and Reliability for Use in Colombian Urban and Rural Sustainability Contexts," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(8), pages 1-13, July.

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