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T. S. Shwetha and A. Kaur
equitable manner, promote progress in the acquisition of knowledge and maintain
the integrity of all its natural resources.
This state of satisfaction from sustainable societies has been explored in research
[22]. The development of personal capacities and growth, also known as personal
well-being, is enhanced in altruistic and pro-ecological individuals [18]. All of these
contribute to happiness and psychological well-being of the individual [66]. Therefore, engaging in pro-environmental behaviours and living in a sustainable society
would contribute to one’s subjective well-being and happiness.
Moreover, some European countries and Australia have recognised the importance
of this concept and have taken into account the subjective well-being of their citizens
as a national and sustainable policy goal. In fact, the Kingdom of Bhutan declared
that its official goal is to measure the growth of the country and economy not by the
“Gross National Product”, but through measures of happiness of its citizens through
“Gross National Happiness” [32].
The effects of pro-environmental behaviour on human well-being can also be
explained through the exploration of the causes (antecedents) and results (consequences) of such behaviour, as identified by environmental psychologists. Some of
the antecedents identified so far include knowledge and attitudes towards the environment and sustainable behaviours, personal morals and attitudes towards diversity,
conservationist motives, as well as beliefs and values regarding the ecology (see [4,
16]. As one can notice, most of these values are learnt through culture, therefore
bringing to light the importance of placing emphasis on corrective socialisation in
order to make pro-environment behaviours more common among the public. The
importance of culture in promoting pro-environment behaviour has been discussed
later in the chapter.
The consequences of sustainable behaviour are both intrinsic (from within) and
extrinsic (from outside) in nature. Research has identified extrinsic motivation, such
as receiving external rewards for engaging in sustainable or pro-environmental
behaviour as problematic [47], the reason being that although the individual will
engage in pro-environment behaviour, the dependency on extrinsic consequences
would mean that such sustainable behaviour will reduce once the source for rewards
is removed. Furthermore, there is also an additional cost to the society for providing
these rewards to the individuals [17]. Also, individuals motivated extrinsically could
engage more in behaviours for materialistic gains, greed and consumption, which
could indeed be more harmful [19]. On the other hand, intrinsically motivated people
are not only cost-effective for their communities, but are also an asset as their
engagement in pro-environment behaviour would continue regardless of the presence of an external source of reward. Research has shown that intrinsic motivation
occurs as a consequence of being pro-environmental [23], and that being intrinsically pro-environmental could result in a state of psychological restoration [38]. In
fact, engaging in pro-environmental behaviours intrinsically leads people to perceive
themselves to be happier than those who don’t [6, 12, 68].
Similar to the concept of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are the basic human
values involved in engagement in pro-environmental actions. There are four types of
T. S. Shwetha and A. Kaur
equitable manner, promote progress in the acquisition of knowledge and maintain
the integrity of all its natural resources.
This state of satisfaction from sustainable societies has been explored in research
[22]. The development of personal capacities and growth, also known as personal
well-being, is enhanced in altruistic and pro-ecological individuals [18]. All of these
contribute to happiness and psychological well-being of the individual [66]. Therefore, engaging in pro-environmental behaviours and living in a sustainable society
would contribute to one’s subjective well-being and happiness.
Moreover, some European countries and Australia have recognised the importance
of this concept and have taken into account the subjective well-being of their citizens
as a national and sustainable policy goal. In fact, the Kingdom of Bhutan declared
that its official goal is to measure the growth of the country and economy not by the
“Gross National Product”, but through measures of happiness of its citizens through
“Gross National Happiness” [32].
The effects of pro-environmental behaviour on human well-being can also be
explained through the exploration of the causes (antecedents) and results (consequences) of such behaviour, as identified by environmental psychologists. Some of
the antecedents identified so far include knowledge and attitudes towards the environment and sustainable behaviours, personal morals and attitudes towards diversity,
conservationist motives, as well as beliefs and values regarding the ecology (see [4,
16]. As one can notice, most of these values are learnt through culture, therefore
bringing to light the importance of placing emphasis on corrective socialisation in
order to make pro-environment behaviours more common among the public. The
importance of culture in promoting pro-environment behaviour has been discussed
later in the chapter.
The consequences of sustainable behaviour are both intrinsic (from within) and
extrinsic (from outside) in nature. Research has identified extrinsic motivation, such
as receiving external rewards for engaging in sustainable or pro-environmental
behaviour as problematic [47], the reason being that although the individual will
engage in pro-environment behaviour, the dependency on extrinsic consequences
would mean that such sustainable behaviour will reduce once the source for rewards
is removed. Furthermore, there is also an additional cost to the society for providing
these rewards to the individuals [17]. Also, individuals motivated extrinsically could
engage more in behaviours for materialistic gains, greed and consumption, which
could indeed be more harmful [19]. On the other hand, intrinsically motivated people
are not only cost-effective for their communities, but are also an asset as their
engagement in pro-environment behaviour would continue regardless of the presence of an external source of reward. Research has shown that intrinsic motivation
occurs as a consequence of being pro-environmental [23], and that being intrinsically pro-environmental could result in a state of psychological restoration [38]. In
fact, engaging in pro-environmental behaviours intrinsically leads people to perceive
themselves to be happier than those who don’t [6, 12, 68].
Similar to the concept of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are the basic human
values involved in engagement in pro-environmental actions. There are four types of