The interplay among environmental attitudes, pro-environmental behavior, social identity, and pro-environmental institutional climate. A longitudinal study

Abstract

By using a panel design in a sample of 298 undergraduate/master students at an Italian public university, the present study aimed to test longitudinally the interplay among environmental attitudes, pro-environmental behavior, social identity, and pro-environmental institutional climate. The relationships were tested with cross-lagged analysis based on two waves over a 2-month period. The cross-lagged panel analysis revealed positive cross-lagged effects of social identity on environmental attitudes and pro-environmental institutional climate perceptions on social identity. Environmental attitudes and social identity at Time 1 did not predict Time 2 pro-environmental behavior. Pro-environmental behavior at Time 1 did not predict Time 2 environmental attitudes. Pro-environmental institutional climate perceptions at Time 1 did not predict Time 2 pro-environmental behavior. Finally, social identity at Time 1 did not predict Time 2 pro-environmental institutional climate perceptions.

Keywords:

• attitude
• pro-environmental behavior
• social identity
• pro-environmental climate
• longitudinal

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by funds from the project TETRIS (Observing, modeling and testing synergies and trade-offs for the adaptive management of multiple impacts in coastal systems, Prin 2010-2011, MIUR).