Coherently arbitrary pro-environmental behavior

An accurate understanding of pro-environmental behavior is a key research topic within environmental psychology and a prerequisite for an adequate psychological response to environmental issues. In this study, we present an experiment testing the degree to which decision makers’ pro-environmental behavior is “coherently arbitrary”. Coherent arbitrariness refers to the phenomenon that behavior in experimental models may only appear rational, as if supported by fixed preferences, despite being affected by arbitrary factors unrelated to preferences. Using the Carbon Emission Task, the present research extends this behavioral economic finding to pro-environmental behavior research. We find that (a) objectively identical trade-offs are evaluated substantially differently depending on the relative rather than absolute price level of comparative choices, and (b) biospheric values correlate robustly with behavior across conditions. This result may also help to explain findings documenting a motivation-impact gap in pro-environmental behavior, as people may find it difficult to objectively and globally assess the costs and benefits associated with their choices.