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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Till Weber
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Individual and household behaviors are key targets for climate change mitigation efforts, and studies suggest that people who enact more pro-environmental behaviors tend to experience higher levels of well-being. Yet these studies have typically used coarse-grained, retrospective reports that offer limited insight into the immediate impacts of specific behaviors. In three studies (total N = 8,522 observations, N = 1,353 US and UK participants) we adopted a highly fine-grained approach. Using the day reconstruction method, we zoomed in on particular moments in everyday life to examine links between specific behaviors and different aspects of well-being. This revealed generally positive associations, but also substantial variation. Pro-environmental behaviors are more closely and consistently associated with positive and especially "eudaimonic" dimensions of well-being. And more active, effortful, and social behaviors tended to show stronger positive associations. Although the relationships between pro-environmental behaviors and well-being are considerably more complex than prior research has indicated, these findings continue to suggest that ecological and individual well-being can be pursued in tandem.
Author(s): Prinzing M, Lades LK, Weber TO, Fredrickson B, Laffan K
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Environmental Psychology
Year: 2024
Volume: 98
Print publication date: 01/09/2024
Online publication date: 08/08/2024
Acceptance date: 07/08/2024
Date deposited: 20/08/2024
ISSN (print): 0272-4944
ISSN (electronic): 1522-9610
Publisher: Academic Press
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2024.102394
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2024.102394
ePrints DOI: 10.57711/h1dr-ap44
Data Access Statement: Data, materials, and analytic code for all studies are available online: https://osf.io/3jma4/.
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