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Explaining the Paradox: How Pro-Environmental Behaviour can both Thwart and Foster Well-Being

Author

Listed:
  • Leonie A. Venhoeven

    (University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, Groningen, 9712 TS, The Netherlands)

  • Jan Willem Bolderdijk

    (University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, Groningen, 9712 TS, The Netherlands)

  • Linda Steg

    (University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, Groningen, 9712 TS, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Although pro-environmental behaviour is often believed to be difficult, aggravating, and potentially threatening one’s quality of life, recent studies suggest that people who behave in a more pro-environmental way are actually more satisfied with their lives. In this manuscript, we aim to explain this apparent paradox by reviewing theoretical arguments and empirical evidence for both sides of the coin: why would acting pro-environmentally decrease one’s well-being, and why would it increase one’s well-being? We conclude that part of the answer lies in a different view on what well-being entails, and more specifically, whether the focus is on hedonic well-being ( i.e ., feeling pleasure) or eudaimonic well-being ( i.e. , feeling meaningful).

Suggested Citation

  • Leonie A. Venhoeven & Jan Willem Bolderdijk & Linda Steg, 2013. "Explaining the Paradox: How Pro-Environmental Behaviour can both Thwart and Foster Well-Being," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:4:p:1372-1386:d:24516
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Anneli Selvefors & I. C. MariAnne Karlsson & Ulrike Rahe, 2015. "Conflicts in Everyday Life: The Influence of Competing Goals on Domestic Energy Conservation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Grolleau, Gilles & Midler, Estelle & Mzoughi, Naoufel, 2017. "Behavioral Insights for the Analysis of Green Tips," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 258-262.
    3. Mzoughi, Naoufel, 2014. "Do organic farmers feel happier than conventional ones? An exploratory analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 38-43.
    4. Patrick Elf & Amy Isham & Birgitta Gatersleben, 2021. "Above and beyond? How businesses can drive sustainable development by promoting lasting pro‐environmental behaviour change: An examination of the IKEA Live Lagom project," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 1037-1050, February.
    5. Fessler, Andreas & Cash, Philip & Thorhauge, Mikkel & Haustein, Sonja, 2023. "A public transport based crowdshipping concept: Results of a field test in Denmark," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 106-118.
    6. Thiermann, Ute B. & Sheate, William R., 2020. "Motivating individuals for social transition: The 2-pathway model and experiential strategies for pro-environmental behaviour," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    7. Raquel Redondo & Carmen Valor & Isabel Carrero, 2022. "Unraveling the Relationship between Well-Being, Sustainable Consumption and Nature Relatedness: a Study of University Students," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(2), pages 913-930, April.
    8. Claborn, Kelly A. & Brooks, Jeremy S., 2019. "Can We Consume Less and Gain More? Environmental Efficiency of Well-being at the Individual Level," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 110-120.
    9. Insook Ahn & Soo Hyun Kim & Munyoung Kim, 2020. "The Relative Importance of Values, Social Norms, and Enjoyment-Based Motivation in Explaining Pro-Environmental Product Purchasing Behavior in Apparel Domain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-16, August.
    10. Herziger, Atar & Claborn, Kelly A. & Brooks, Jeremy S., 2020. "Is There Hope for the Double Dividend? How Social Context Can Shape Synergies and Tradeoffs between Sustainable Consumption and Well-Being," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    11. Hee Jin Kim & Jung Min Jang, 2018. "The Easier the Better: How Processing Fluency Influences Self-Efficacy and Behavioral Intention in Pro-Social Campaign Advertising," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-14, December.
    12. Martha A. Starr, 2015. "The Economics of Ethical Consumption," Working Papers 2015-01, American University, Department of Economics.
    13. Erin Miller Hamilton & Apoorva Rane, 2022. "Speaking Their Language: Does Environmental Signage Align to Personal Dimensions of Environmentally Responsible Behavior in Undergraduate Residence Halls?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-23, February.
    14. Susan M. Koger, 2013. "Psychological and Behavioral Aspects of Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(7), pages 1-3, July.
    15. Fanli Jia & Kendall Soucie & Kyle Matsuba & Michael W. Pratt, 2021. "Meaning in Life Mediates the Association between Environmental Engagement and Loneliness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-12, March.
    16. Sabirah Adams & Shazly Savahl & Maria Florence & Kyle Jackson, 2019. "Considering the Natural Environment in the Creation of Child-Friendly Cities: Implications for Children’s Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(2), pages 545-567, April.
    17. Alison Pritchard & Miles Richardson & David Sheffield & Kirsten McEwan, 2020. "The Relationship Between Nature Connectedness and Eudaimonic Well-Being: A Meta-analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 1145-1167, March.
    18. Schmitt, Michael T. & Aknin, Lara B. & Axsen, Jonn & Shwom, Rachael L., 2018. "Unpacking the Relationships Between Pro-environmental Behavior, Life Satisfaction, and Perceived Ecological Threat," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 130-140.
    19. Hagit Sabato & Sapir Bar-Ilan, 2023. "Pleasure or Meaning: Subjective Well-Being Orientations and the Willingness to Help Close Versus Distant Others," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 2013-2037, August.
    20. Marie Lisa Kapeller & Georg Jäger, 2020. "Threat and Anxiety in the Climate Debate—An Agent-Based Model to Investigate Climate Scepticism and Pro-Environmental Behaviour," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-25, February.
    21. Mock, Mirijam & Omann, Ines & Polzin, Christine & Spekkink, Wouter & Schuler, Julia & Pandur, Vlad & Brizi, Ambra & Panno, Angelo, 2019. "“Something inside me has been set in motion”: Exploring the psychological wellbeing of people engaged in sustainability initiatives," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 1-11.
    22. Ching-Cheng Shen & Dan Wang & Jennifer Pasion Loverio & Hsi-Lin Liu & Hsing-Yi Wang, 2022. "Influence of Attachment Theory on Pro-Environmental Behavior and Well-Being: A Case of Organic Agricultural Tourism in Taiwan Hualien and Taitung," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-16, November.
    23. Strzelecka, Marianna & Nisbett, Gwendelyn S. & Woosnam, Kyle M., 2017. "The hedonic nature of conservation volunteer travel," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 417-425.
    24. Ilona Liliána Birtalan & Attila Bartha & Ágnes Neulinger & György Bárdos & Attila Oláh & József Rácz & Adrien Rigó, 2020. "Community Supported Agriculture as a Driver of Food-Related Well-Being," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-17, June.
    25. Welsch, Heinz & Binder, Martin & Blankenberg, Ann-Kathrin, 2021. "Green behavior, green self-image, and subjective well-being: Separating affective and cognitive relationships," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).

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