Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102913
Jan Pascal Göbel , Jürgen Buder , Malik Ogiermann , Matana Burkhardt , Alina Forstner , Helen Fischer , Markus Huff
Communicating the scientific consensus on climate change acts as a gateway to increasing climate beliefs, a process described by the Gateway Belief Model (GBM). Although the effectiveness of this approach is well-documented, critical gaps in the literature persist. Few studies have scrutinized the risks of low-consensus messages and their correctability, the potential for consensus messaging to have an impact beyond self-reported measures, or the cognitive mechanisms driving belief updates. This study addresses these three critical areas in a German sample (N = 941). First, we demonstrate the powerful adverse effect of a low-consensus message on the perceived scientific consensus (PSC) and show that this effect can be corrected through subsequent accurate messaging. Second, we introduce learning as a novel cognitive outcome, finding that high-consensus messaging can act as a gateway to knowledge acquisition. Third, we explore initial confidence as a key psychological moderator, revealing that it influences belief updating under certain conditions.
{"title":"Understanding the gateway: Unpacking the mechanisms, boundaries, and outcomes of climate consensus messaging","authors":"Jan Pascal Göbel , Jürgen Buder , Malik Ogiermann , Matana Burkhardt , Alina Forstner , Helen Fischer , Markus Huff","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102913","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102913","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Communicating the scientific consensus on climate change acts as a gateway to increasing climate beliefs, a process described by the Gateway Belief Model (GBM). Although the effectiveness of this approach is well-documented, critical gaps in the literature persist. Few studies have scrutinized the risks of low-consensus messages and their correctability, the potential for consensus messaging to have an impact beyond self-reported measures, or the cognitive mechanisms driving belief updates. This study addresses these three critical areas in a German sample (<em>N</em> = 941). First, we demonstrate the powerful adverse effect of a low-consensus message on the perceived scientific consensus (PSC) and show that this effect can be corrected through subsequent accurate messaging. Second, we introduce learning as a novel cognitive outcome, finding that high-consensus messaging can act as a gateway to knowledge acquisition. Third, we explore initial confidence as a key psychological moderator, revealing that it influences belief updating under certain conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102913"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979515","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102901
Matthew Barnfield , Paula Szewach , Sabrina Stöckli , Florian Stoeckel , Jack Thompson , Joseph Phillips , Benjamin Lyons , Vittorio Mérola , Jason Reifler
Across western democracies, pro-climate beliefs are widespread. Yet, vocal minorities contest scientific consensus about global warming. Perhaps as a consequence, the extent to which the public accepts global warming and climate action is often underestimated. Correcting this perceptual deficit has been proposed as a promising way to strengthen climate action, since knowledge of broad public consensus could motivate environmentally friendly behaviours, increase support for policy interventions, or shift perceptions of political feasibility. In a preregistered two-wave survey experiment in Germany, we provide a novel test of this strategy in a national context with already high pro-climate support, using real and comprehensive public opinion data. We find that exposure to this information can produce a lasting, significant increase in second-order beliefs (perceptions of public opinion) two weeks after treatment, especially among those who initially underestimated public support. However, the effects on first-order outcomes—policy feasibility perceptions, attitudes, and behavioural intentions—are small, short-lived, and largely non-significant. By demonstrating the boundary conditions of second-order interventions, our study suggests that their promise may be more limited than often assumed. These findings may highlight the potential need for more targeted, repeated, and context-sensitive approaches if second-order information is to meaningfully shift climate beliefs and behaviours.
{"title":"Information on public opinion has lasting effects on second-order climate beliefs, but minimal and ephemeral effects on first-order beliefs","authors":"Matthew Barnfield , Paula Szewach , Sabrina Stöckli , Florian Stoeckel , Jack Thompson , Joseph Phillips , Benjamin Lyons , Vittorio Mérola , Jason Reifler","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102901","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102901","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Across western democracies, pro-climate beliefs are widespread. Yet, vocal minorities contest scientific consensus about global warming. Perhaps as a consequence, the extent to which the public accepts global warming and climate action is often underestimated. Correcting this perceptual deficit has been proposed as a promising way to strengthen climate action, since knowledge of broad public consensus could motivate environmentally friendly behaviours, increase support for policy interventions, or shift perceptions of political feasibility. In a preregistered two-wave survey experiment in Germany, we provide a novel test of this strategy in a national context with already high pro-climate support, using real and comprehensive public opinion data. We find that exposure to this information can produce a lasting, significant increase in second-order beliefs (perceptions of public opinion) two weeks after treatment, especially among those who initially underestimated public support. However, the effects on first-order outcomes—policy feasibility perceptions, attitudes, and behavioural intentions—are small, short-lived, and largely non-significant. By demonstrating the boundary conditions of second-order interventions, our study suggests that their promise may be more limited than often assumed. These findings may highlight the potential need for more targeted, repeated, and context-sensitive approaches if second-order information is to meaningfully shift climate beliefs and behaviours.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102901"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-19DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102895
Lea Barbett , Stylianos Syropoulos , Jin Capozzoli , The C19 Consortium
Nature connectedness, a widely used psychological construct which encompasses affective and cognitive aspects of the relationship a person has with nature, has become a central variable of interest in environmental psychology literature. This interest is motivated partially by its enhancing effects on well-being outcomes. However, comprehensive international evaluations of the link between nature connectedness and well-being remain sparse. In this registered report, we propose a secondary analysis of previously collected data to examine how individual differences in nature connectedness relate to multiple aspects of well-being (i.e., purpose in life, hope, mindfulness, life satisfaction, and optimism) across 75 countries (N = 36,803). Within-country and between-country analyses (linear and mixed regressions) suggested that nature connectedness is a robust positive predictor of well-being. Our findings highlight the importance of nature connected for well-being globally, especially for communities with low access to nature and social resources.
{"title":"Nature connectedness and well-being: Evidence from a multi-national investigation across 75 countries","authors":"Lea Barbett , Stylianos Syropoulos , Jin Capozzoli , The C19 Consortium","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102895","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102895","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nature connectedness, a widely used psychological construct which encompasses affective and cognitive aspects of the relationship a person has with nature, has become a central variable of interest in environmental psychology literature. This interest is motivated partially by its enhancing effects on well-being outcomes. However, comprehensive international evaluations of the link between nature connectedness and well-being remain sparse. In this registered report, we propose a secondary analysis of previously collected data to examine how individual differences in nature connectedness relate to multiple aspects of well-being (i.e., purpose in life, hope, mindfulness, life satisfaction, and optimism) across 75 countries (<em>N</em> = 36,803). Within-country and between-country analyses (linear and mixed regressions) suggested that nature connectedness is a robust positive predictor of well-being. Our findings highlight the importance of nature connected for well-being globally, especially for communities with low access to nature and social resources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102895"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102849
Peng-Yu Zeng , Mei-Hsiu Yeh , Su-Ling Yeh
Hedonic well-being and eudaimonic well-being, respectively, emphasize maximizing pleasure and personal growth. While previous research has demonstrated that nature-based interventions enhance both forms of well-being, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Notably, mindfulness and nature-based interventions share overlapping benefits, including reduced fatigue and enhanced vitality, and thus, we hypothesize that mindfulness serves as a critical mediating mechanism through which nature-based interventions foster well-being. We also explore whether moments with higher states of mindfulness during nature-based interventions are associated with greater well-being outcomes. Study 1 employed the experience sampling method to measure happiness, stress, and autonomous motivation during intervention periods compared with those in baseline days, while Study 2 utilized the day reconstruction method to assess happiness and nature connectedness. Multilevel regression analyses revealed that, compared to baseline days, nature-based interventions increased happiness and decreased stress while enhancing autonomous motivation and nature connectedness. Importantly, mindfulness states mediated the relationship between nature-based intervention and well-being outcomes. Furthermore, during the nature-based intervention, activities with moments of heightened mindfulness were associated with enhanced well-being. This research highlights mindfulness states as a mediating mechanism in nature-based interventions and suggests that incorporating mindfulness elements into future nature-based intervention designs can maximize their beneficial impact on well-being.
{"title":"Nurturing well-being through nature-based intervention: The mediating role of mindfulness state","authors":"Peng-Yu Zeng , Mei-Hsiu Yeh , Su-Ling Yeh","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102849","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102849","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hedonic well-being and eudaimonic well-being, respectively, emphasize maximizing pleasure and personal growth. While previous research has demonstrated that nature-based interventions enhance both forms of well-being, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Notably, mindfulness and nature-based interventions share overlapping benefits, including reduced fatigue and enhanced vitality, and thus, we hypothesize that mindfulness serves as a critical mediating mechanism through which nature-based interventions foster well-being. We also explore whether moments with higher states of mindfulness during nature-based interventions are associated with greater well-being outcomes. Study 1 employed the experience sampling method to measure happiness, stress, and autonomous motivation during intervention periods compared with those in baseline days, while Study 2 utilized the day reconstruction method to assess happiness and nature connectedness. Multilevel regression analyses revealed that, compared to baseline days, nature-based interventions increased happiness and decreased stress while enhancing autonomous motivation and nature connectedness. Importantly, mindfulness states mediated the relationship between nature-based intervention and well-being outcomes. Furthermore, during the nature-based intervention, activities with moments of heightened mindfulness were associated with enhanced well-being. This research highlights mindfulness states as a mediating mechanism in nature-based interventions and suggests that incorporating mindfulness elements into future nature-based intervention designs can maximize their beneficial impact on well-being.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102849"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102940
David McAleavey , Rick O'Gorman , Tom Foulsham
Objective
To determine if remediating images of poorly maintained residential properties increases social trust and identify which aspects of the built environment participants attend to when making social decisions.
Methods
Using a within-subject design and a multilevel approach to analysis, participants' eye movements and attitudinal states were recorded as they were presented with a series of static images of residential properties. These residential properties were chosen from areas which are categorized as being among the most deprived according to the English Index of Multiple Deprivation. The images then had the salient aspects of physical disorder corrected using digital imaging software. The resulting experimental stimuli were presented in both ‘original/unmaintained’ and ‘manipulated/maintained’ conditions to each participant along with a question regarding social trust.
Results
Images of residential properties in the maintained condition were associated with higher social trust scores (likelihood ratio test χ2 (1) = 548.13, p < .001). Images of residential properties in the unmaintained condition were associated with longer dwell durations (likelihood ratio test χ2 (1) = 329.46, p < .001).
Conclusions
These findings suggest that the visual component of maintenance interventions may contribute to their effectiveness by shaping initial social trust perceptions.
目的确定修复维护不善的住宅物业的形象是否会增加社会信任，并确定参与者在做出社会决策时所关注的建筑环境的哪些方面。方法采用受试者内设计和多层次分析方法，记录参与者在观看一系列住宅物业静态图像时的眼球运动和态度状态。这些住宅物业是从根据多重剥夺指数（English Index of Multiple Deprivation）被分类为最贫困的地区中挑选出来的。然后使用数字成像软件对这些图像的显著方面进行身体障碍校正。由此产生的实验刺激以“原始/未维护”和“操纵/维护”两种方式呈现给每个参与者，同时还有一个关于社会信任的问题。结果维修后的住宅影像与较高的社会信任得分相关（似然比检验χ2 (1) = 548.13, p < .001）。未维护的住宅物业图像与较长的居住时间相关（似然比检验χ2 (1) = 329.46, p < .001）。这些研究结果表明，维持干预的视觉成分可能通过塑造最初的社会信任感知来促进其有效性。
{"title":"Building better than we know: Maintenance, eye movements, and social trust","authors":"David McAleavey , Rick O'Gorman , Tom Foulsham","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102940","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102940","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To determine if remediating images of poorly maintained residential properties increases social trust and identify which aspects of the built environment participants attend to when making social decisions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using a within-subject design and a multilevel approach to analysis, participants' eye movements and attitudinal states were recorded as they were presented with a series of static images of residential properties. These residential properties were chosen from areas which are categorized as being among the most deprived according to the English Index of Multiple Deprivation. The images then had the salient aspects of physical disorder corrected using digital imaging software. The resulting experimental stimuli were presented in both ‘original/unmaintained’ and ‘manipulated/maintained’ conditions to each participant along with a question regarding social trust.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Images of residential properties in the maintained condition were associated with higher social trust scores (likelihood ratio test <em>χ</em><sup><em>2</em></sup> (1) = 548.13, <em>p</em> < .001). Images of residential properties in the unmaintained condition were associated with longer dwell durations (likelihood ratio test <em>χ</em><sup><em>2</em></sup> (1) = 329.46, <em>p</em> < .001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These findings suggest that the visual component of maintenance interventions may contribute to their effectiveness by shaping initial social trust perceptions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102940"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102903
Benjamin Meagher
Interactions with friends are, like all social processes, situated within particular physical places that can either constrain or facilitate different types of social behavior. Certain settings may therefore be uniquely beneficial (i.e., relationally restorative), provided they promote self-disclosure, social support, and reciprocal exchange. In this paper, I propose that territories afford such positive interactions. Across a set of three empirical studies, I test whether the frequency of interacting with friends in one's territory is associated with several relevant relationship outcomes: interpersonal closeness, reciprocal knowledge, and trust. A pair of cross-sectional studies among both U.S. adults (Study 1) and undergraduate students (Study 2) find convergent evidence that the frequency of interacting in territories is predictive of greater closeness and knowledge, even when controlling for the frequency of interacting in other places and mediums (e.g., virtually). Furthermore, a longitudinal analysis of undergraduates (Study 3) finds that an increase of interacting in residences during a given week was also associated with higher levels of both closeness and reciprocal knowledge. These studies provide evidence for viewing the home as a potentially valuable social resource for promoting friendship development and maintenance.
{"title":"Bringing friendship home: Home interactions as a predictor of closer interpersonal relationships","authors":"Benjamin Meagher","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102903","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102903","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Interactions with friends are, like all social processes, situated within particular physical places that can either constrain or facilitate different types of social behavior. Certain settings may therefore be uniquely beneficial (i.e., relationally restorative), provided they promote self-disclosure, social support, and reciprocal exchange. In this paper, I propose that territories afford such positive interactions. Across a set of three empirical studies, I test whether the frequency of interacting with friends in one's territory is associated with several relevant relationship outcomes: interpersonal closeness, reciprocal knowledge, and trust. A pair of cross-sectional studies among both U.S. adults (Study 1) and undergraduate students (Study 2) find convergent evidence that the frequency of interacting in territories is predictive of greater closeness and knowledge, even when controlling for the frequency of interacting in other places and mediums (e.g., virtually). Furthermore, a longitudinal analysis of undergraduates (Study 3) finds that an increase of interacting in residences during a given week was also associated with higher levels of both closeness and reciprocal knowledge. These studies provide evidence for viewing the home as a potentially valuable social resource for promoting friendship development and maintenance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102903"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145928512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102932
Omid Ghasemi , Matteo Malavasi , Charlie A. Ransom , Ben R. Newell
This study examined how chronic weather anomalies (i.e., temperature and precipitation deviations from long-term averages) and acute disasters (e.g., wildfires, hurricanes, floods) relate to individual pro-climate beliefs, postcode-level voting for climate-aligned parties, and solar panel installations (a proxy for pro-environmental behaviour) across Australia between 2013 and 2022. We found that long-term temperature deviations were positively associated with stronger climate change beliefs, whereas both above- and below-average rainfall showed small but positive associations with voting for the politically left-leaning parties and with solar panel installations. Acute disasters showed stronger associations, predicting greater belief in climate change, with significant effects observed when the disaster occurred further in the past. For voting, the pattern moved in the opposite direction, with the largest effects appearing when disasters happened closer to the election date and weakening as more time passed. In contrast, the association between acute disasters and solar panel installations was negligible, suggesting that disasters did not influence household adoption. Together, these findings suggest that while chronic weather deviations have small and inconsistent effects, acute one-off disasters show stronger associations with climate beliefs and voting. This pattern indicates that direct high-impact experiences can partly motivate climate awareness and action.
{"title":"A decade of weather anomalies and natural disasters and their influence on environmental beliefs and actions across Australia","authors":"Omid Ghasemi , Matteo Malavasi , Charlie A. Ransom , Ben R. Newell","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102932","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102932","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined how chronic weather anomalies (i.e., temperature and precipitation deviations from long-term averages) and acute disasters (e.g., wildfires, hurricanes, floods) relate to individual pro-climate beliefs, postcode-level voting for climate-aligned parties, and solar panel installations (a proxy for pro-environmental behaviour) across Australia between 2013 and 2022. We found that long-term temperature deviations were positively associated with stronger climate change beliefs, whereas both above- and below-average rainfall showed small but positive associations with voting for the politically left-leaning parties and with solar panel installations. Acute disasters showed stronger associations, predicting greater belief in climate change, with significant effects observed when the disaster occurred further in the past. For voting, the pattern moved in the opposite direction, with the largest effects appearing when disasters happened closer to the election date and weakening as more time passed. In contrast, the association between acute disasters and solar panel installations was negligible, suggesting that disasters did not influence household adoption. Together, these findings suggest that while chronic weather deviations have small and inconsistent effects, acute one-off disasters show stronger associations with climate beliefs and voting. This pattern indicates that direct high-impact experiences can partly motivate climate awareness and action.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102932"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-09-08DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102755
Leïla Rahmani , Simona Haasova , Sandor Czellar , Valentina Clergue , Christian Martin
Today, more than ever, curbing the environmental impact of individual behavior is essential. An increasingly researched approach among academics and social marketers is to use various types of short-term nature interventions to encourage pro-environmental behavior. While some of these interventions refer to humans' relationship with nature, there is a lack of understanding regarding their conceptual design and actual effectiveness. We address this gap in the literature by using the environmental identity framework to explain why interventions directly targeting individuals’ relationship with nature can be an effective strategy to boost pro-environmental behaviors. Our six studies implement interventions in the form of messages focusing on the core relational aspect of environmental identity, test their effects on pro-environmental behavioral tendencies and explore their underlying mechanisms. The online and laboratory experiments using different types of stimuli, population samples and behavioral measures converge to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed interventions. The findings carry substantial implications regarding the framing of such interventions and offer practical suggestions for educators, policymakers, and marketers who wish to promote pro-environmental behaviors.
{"title":"Nature & Me: Promoting pro-environmental behaviors through relationship-with-nature interventions","authors":"Leïla Rahmani , Simona Haasova , Sandor Czellar , Valentina Clergue , Christian Martin","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102755","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102755","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Today, more than ever, curbing the environmental impact of individual behavior is essential. An increasingly researched approach among academics and social marketers is to use various types of short-term nature interventions to encourage pro-environmental behavior. While some of these interventions refer to humans' relationship with nature, there is a lack of understanding regarding their conceptual design and actual effectiveness. We address this gap in the literature by using the environmental identity framework to explain why interventions directly targeting individuals’ relationship with nature can be an effective strategy to boost pro-environmental behaviors. Our six studies implement interventions in the form of messages focusing on the core relational aspect of environmental identity, test their effects on pro-environmental behavioral tendencies and explore their underlying mechanisms. The online and laboratory experiments using different types of stimuli, population samples and behavioral measures converge to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed interventions. The findings carry substantial implications regarding the framing of such interventions and offer practical suggestions for educators, policymakers, and marketers who wish to promote pro-environmental behaviors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102755"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102904
Tiantian Guo , Kaixin Zhong , Chengcheng Li, Yifan Liu, Ao Ren, Feng Kong
Existing studies underscore the importance of pro-environmental behaviour to individuals’ well-being. However, the extent to which this anticipated favourable relationship functions at the within-person level remains an area that warrants further exploration. To gain a deeper understanding of how pro-environmental behaviour is related to well-being, the current work applied a daily diary method to examine both the relationships and the underlying mechanisms. A total of 486 emerging adults from China (Mage = 19.29, SDage = 2.12) participated in the study by completing a daily questionnaire over 14 consecutive days, which yielded 6754 valid diary entries for subsequent analyses. Results from the multilevel lagged analysis demonstrated that pro-environmental behaviour was positively associated with both types of well-being observed the day after. Additionally, the multilevel within-person mediation analysis showed that daily eudaimonic well-being mediated the daily links of pro-environmental behaviour with hedonic well-being. These results align with the positive-activity model and self-determination theory, emphasizing the crucial mediating role of eudaimonic well-being in the within-person link of environmental behaviour with hedonic well-being.
{"title":"Rewards of pro-environmental behaviour?The effect of pro-environmental behaviour today on well-being tomorrow","authors":"Tiantian Guo , Kaixin Zhong , Chengcheng Li, Yifan Liu, Ao Ren, Feng Kong","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102904","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102904","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Existing studies underscore the importance of pro-environmental behaviour to individuals’ well-being. However, the extent to which this anticipated favourable relationship functions at the within-person level remains an area that warrants further exploration. To gain a deeper understanding of how pro-environmental behaviour is related to well-being, the current work applied a daily diary method to examine both the relationships and the underlying mechanisms. A total of 486 emerging adults from China (<em>M</em><sub>age</sub> = 19.29, <em>SD</em><sub>age</sub> = 2.12) participated in the study by completing a daily questionnaire over 14 consecutive days, which yielded 6754 valid diary entries for subsequent analyses. Results from the multilevel lagged analysis demonstrated that pro-environmental behaviour was positively associated with both types of well-being observed the day after. Additionally, the multilevel within-person mediation analysis showed that daily eudaimonic well-being mediated the daily links of pro-environmental behaviour with hedonic well-being. These results align with the positive-activity model and self-determination theory, emphasizing the crucial mediating role of eudaimonic well-being in the within-person link of environmental behaviour with hedonic well-being.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102904"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102954
Janet Loebach , Genevieve Meredith , Donald A. Rakow , Mardelle Shepley
Key metrics of health, including psychosocial well-being, have been steadily declining among adults in the United States for several decades. While many factors contribute to declining well-being, stress is negatively impacting the health of a majority of adults. Work-related stress is of growing concern to employers because it has significant economic implications through employee dissatisfaction, reduced productivity, and lowered emotional and physical health. Research highlights that spending even a short about of time outdoors in nature has significant psychological and physiological benefits, including reduced stress. A majority of US adults are engaged in employment and almost half work for large organizations including institutes of higher education. Promoting the ability of these staff to spend time in natural outdoor environments (NOEs) during their workday can be a relatively low-cost, accessible and equitable intervention that could improve well-being at a population level. However, work-related considerations may be one of the greatest barriers to spending time outdoors. This study utilized the natural experiment provided by workplace shifts resulting from the COVID pandemic to explore patterns in NOE use during the workday of staff at large university in New York State. Staff surveys and focus groups illuminated key work-place barriers to spending time in NOEs. Lack of time to go outdoors, exacerbated by high workloads, inflexible schedules, and negative work culture, was the highest reported barrier. Results highlight changes or improvements in policy, work culture and NOE amenities that could facilitate more time outdoors to improve well-being for staff at large organizations like universities.
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