The influence of trust on environmental behavior: evidence from South Korea

Abstract

Although pro-environmental behavior, if produced collectively, can provide significant and positive public consequences for the environment, it is not always easy to facilitate since it has public good characteristics and collective action problems associated with environmental behavior. This study empirically evaluates the influence of trust on environmental behavior using the National Survey data on Koreans’ Environmental Behavior. The empirical results suggested that individuals with higher stocks of trust will have a greater tendency to act in a collective manner for the environment. Specifically, trust capital was effective to facilitating such environmental behavior as consuming less water, using energy-efficient bulbs. In addition, pro-social behavior was an important determinant of pro-environmental behavior.

Keywords:

• Pro-environmental behavior
• trust
• collective action problems