The Sustainability Gap: Examining How Environmental Perception and Behavior Differ by Social Class

This study employs Gaussian kernel principal component analysis to construct a composite indicator of environmental behavior willingness from nine dimensions. Using multiple categorical ordered linear regression models and their interaction models, it examines the differential influence mechanisms of social strata (economic status, education, social prestige) and environmental perception from gender, inter-provincial, and regional perspectives. Key empirical findings are the following: (1) Environmental willingness formed within the same social stratum based on shared perception levels shows consistent characteristics, with no significant gender differences observed. (2) Higher education deepens understanding of environmental policies, promoting the shift from awareness to willingness. However, it also enhances recognition of environmental complexity, which may foster a situational sense of powerlessness, often channeled into systemic advocacy rather than the belief that individual actions are insignificant. (3) Regional disparities are evident. For example, the perception of air pollution positively correlates with willingness in Hebei and Jiangsu but negatively in Beijing and Liaoning. (4) The middle social stratum in eastern and central regions shows more stimulable environmental willingness, contributing to sustainable regional environmental engagement. Conversely, in the western region, improving the economic status of lower- and middle-stratum residents is key to significantly enhancing the sustainability of overall regional willingness. This study reveals the varied drivers of environmental willingness by integrating multidimensional indicators and a social-class perspective, highlighting the regional role of environmental perception and advancing theory on socio-cognitive interactions in environmental sociology. Practically, it provides evidence for differentiated policy design, suggesting tailored incentives across social strata and regions, including measures to address “action paralysis” among the highly educated and to combine economic support in western China for fostering sustainable public environmental participation.