Mind the Gap: Exploring the Influence of Environmental Awareness Dissonance on Ecological Behaviours
type: CreativeWork
description: This thesis investigates the psychological, social, and contextual factors influencing pro-environmental decision-making, focusing on the interrelatedness of environmental attitudes, social norms, and decision outcomes. Two hypotheses were proposed: (1) environmental attitudes are positively correlated with pro-environmental decision-making, and (2) participants receiving feedback indicating a higher environmental impact (compared to the “average person") (i.e., more harm to the environment) would exhibit more pro-environmental behaviour than those in low- or average-impact conditions. The sample comprised 253 adults who participated in an online survey measuring environmental attitudes, carbon footprint, and choice tasks regarding transportation, investment, and donations. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: high-impact, average-impact, or low-impact feedback, informing them of their environmental impact relative to the “average person.” Environmental attitudes were measured using 23 Likert-scale statements, while an adapted tool calculated the carbon footprint. Delay discounting tasks assessed participants’ willingness to shift to sustainable transportation (e.g., public transit, electric vehicles), while climate-friendly decisions were measured through investment and charitable donations. The results provided partial support for Hypothesis 1, showing weak correlations between environmental attitudes and financial decisions, with positive associations to climate-friendly investments and donations However, there was no support for Hypothesis 2, as ANCOVAs revealed no significant differences across conditions (p > 0.05). High-impact feedback was associated with a less rapid decline in the likelihood of waiting for electric vehicles (EVs) or paying a premium, with average-impact participants choosing more public transport. Participants preferred investments with higher returns, often neglecting environmental consequences, indicating that f…
abstract: This thesis investigates the psychological, social, and contextual factors influencing pro-environmental decision-making, focusing on the interrelatedness of environmental attitudes, social norms, and decision outcomes. Two hypotheses were proposed: (1) environmental attitudes are positively correlated with pro-environmental decision-making, and (2) participants receiving feedback indicating a higher environmental impact (compared to the “average person") (i.e., more harm to the environment) would exhibit more pro-environmental behaviour than those in low- or average-impact conditions. The sample comprised 253 adults who participated in an online survey measuring environmental attitudes, carbon footprint, and choice tasks regarding transportation, investment, and donations. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: high-impact, average-impact, or low-impact feedback, informing them of their environmental impact relative to the “average person.” Environmental attitudes were measured using 23 Likert-scale statements, while an adapted tool calculated the carbon footprint. Delay discounting tasks assessed participants’ willingness to shift to sustainable transportation (e.g., public transit, electric vehicles), while climate-friendly decisions were measured through investment and charitable donations. The results provided partial support for Hypothesis 1, showing weak correlations between environmental attitudes and financial decisions, with positive associations to climate-friendly investments and donations However, there was no support for Hypothesis 2, as ANCOVAs revealed no significant differences across conditions (p > 0.05). High-impact feedback was associated with a less rapid decline in the likelihood of waiting for electric vehicles (EVs) or paying a premium, with average-impact participants choosing more public transport. Participants preferred investments with higher returns, often neglecting environmental consequences, indicating that f…
author: Gopalakrishnan, Dharma
date published: 2025
date modified: 2026-07-27T18:46:26Z
provider: AUT University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: AUT University