Antecedents of Environmental Engagement: The role of self-affirmation interventions on predicting pro-environmental intentions

Oara Prundeanu (Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Romania)

Environmental engagement and the willingness to adopt pro-environmental behaviors are critical in addressing the challenges posed by climate change. While previous research has demonstrated the effects of self-affirmation interventions on environmental attitudes and behaviours, the range of explanatory variables considered remains limited. Additional factors such as socio-demographic individual beliefs, identity or wellbeing, may serve as key antecedents of pro-environmental actions. Based on the self-affirmation theory, this study investigates the role of self-affirmation in enhancing individuals’ intentions to engage in pro-environmental behaviours within a convenience sample (N = 1,962). Furthermore, it examines the predictive value of pre-existing environmental beliefs (e.g., perceived consequences of climate change), environmental identity, and subjective well-being in fostering environmental engagement. The findings indicate that participants who underwent self-affirmation reported significantly higher levels of environmental engagement. Additionally, environmental identity and perceived social consequences of climate change emerged as significant positive predictors of environmental engagement. These results contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying pro-environmental behaviour and highlight the potential of self-affirmation as an intervention strategy.

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