Approaching Environmental Sustainability: Perceptions of Self-Efficacy and Changeability

ABSTRACT

This paper describes a model focused on the role of self-efficacy and belief in changeability of behavior in motivating environmentally sustainable behavior. The model was tested in two studies. The first study found that participants who had greater self-efficacy for sustainability behavior and a greater belief in their changeability of sustainability behavior had a higher level of approach motivation toward sustainability behavior and reported more such actual behavior. The second study investigated the effect of brief interventions intended to increase perception of self-efficacy for sustainability-related purchasing and changeability of sustainability-related purchasing. The intervention that focused on enhancing self-efficacy for making sustainability-related purchases had the strongest impact on intention to purchase. These findings have implications for interventions intended to change behavior related to environmental sustainability.

KEYWORDS:

• Approach motivation
• environment
• incremental theory
• self-efficacy
• sustainability

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nicola S. Schutte

Nicola S. Schutte, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of New England, Australia. Her research interests lie in the area of positive psychology and include a focus on motivation, emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and positive affect.

Navjot Bhullar

Navjot Bhullar, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of New England, Australia. Her research focuses on the effects of applying psychological principles of behavior change within environmental/consumer choice contexts.