4 Finding the Long-Lost Path: Developing …
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values that appear particularly important to understand the individuals’ engagement
with regard to their pro-environmental actions, which are explained as follows [64]:
a. Biospheric
b. Altruistic
c. Egoistic
d. Hedonic values.
Biospheric values focus on goals for larger areas like the nature and environment,
while altruistic values focus on the same towards other people and for the society in
general. As humans’ actions affect the environment which in turn affect the humans
again, these values generally encourage pro-environmental actions as they would be
profitable for the nature and the environment, as well as the society in the larger
run. Egoistic values prioritise goals that better one’s own selfish motives, such as
that of status, materialistic possessions, power, etc., while hedonic values focus on
increasing one’s level of comfort and pleasure. These two values do not promote proenvironmental behaviours as these actions would generally be associated with higher
costs and lesser benefits to the individuals personally. Therefore, it could be assumed
that the ignorance and delay in taking pro-environmental action could largely be due
to the execution and promotion of egoistic and hedonistic values among people; and
on the other hand, due to a lack in promoting and altruistic values [10].
Such an explanation seems very valid until one checks the available empirical evidence. Surprisingly, research has shown that the biospheric and altruistic
values are promoted more than the egoistic and hedonic values [28]. Further studies
showed that when one advertised bioshpheric values and consequential benefits, it
seemed to be more effective in encouraging individuals to engage in energy-saving
programmes than providing financial benefits to people [59]. Additionally, other proenvironmental actions associated with the biospheric values, such as switching off
lights when not in use, encouraging eco-driving or dietary changes were found to be
more rewarding than any associated financial benefit for people [27].
Such findings on improved well-being based on sustainable behaviour can be
explained through evolutionary mechanisms as well. According to these theories,
humans are wired to experience positive emotions, which increase by behaving in
ways that profit the communities as well as themselves [39]. On the contrary, acting in
ways that would profit the person would lead to immediate rewards but would affect
the society in the long term, thus leading the people to dislike and not approve of
the person’s behaviour, leading to the “tragedy of the commons” [37, 73]. Altruism,
therefore, helps the individual as well as the community in the long term, boosts
psychological well-being of all and improves their happiness. Now that we have an
idea of how the environment impacts our well-being, let us now understand how
human psychology is linked to the environment.
99
values that appear particularly important to understand the individuals’ engagement
with regard to their pro-environmental actions, which are explained as follows [64]:
a. Biospheric
b. Altruistic
c. Egoistic
d. Hedonic values.
Biospheric values focus on goals for larger areas like the nature and environment,
while altruistic values focus on the same towards other people and for the society in
general. As humans’ actions affect the environment which in turn affect the humans
again, these values generally encourage pro-environmental actions as they would be
profitable for the nature and the environment, as well as the society in the larger
run. Egoistic values prioritise goals that better one’s own selfish motives, such as
that of status, materialistic possessions, power, etc., while hedonic values focus on
increasing one’s level of comfort and pleasure. These two values do not promote proenvironmental behaviours as these actions would generally be associated with higher
costs and lesser benefits to the individuals personally. Therefore, it could be assumed
that the ignorance and delay in taking pro-environmental action could largely be due
to the execution and promotion of egoistic and hedonistic values among people; and
on the other hand, due to a lack in promoting and altruistic values [10].
Such an explanation seems very valid until one checks the available empirical evidence. Surprisingly, research has shown that the biospheric and altruistic
values are promoted more than the egoistic and hedonic values [28]. Further studies
showed that when one advertised bioshpheric values and consequential benefits, it
seemed to be more effective in encouraging individuals to engage in energy-saving
programmes than providing financial benefits to people [59]. Additionally, other proenvironmental actions associated with the biospheric values, such as switching off
lights when not in use, encouraging eco-driving or dietary changes were found to be
more rewarding than any associated financial benefit for people [27].
Such findings on improved well-being based on sustainable behaviour can be
explained through evolutionary mechanisms as well. According to these theories,
humans are wired to experience positive emotions, which increase by behaving in
ways that profit the communities as well as themselves [39]. On the contrary, acting in
ways that would profit the person would lead to immediate rewards but would affect
the society in the long term, thus leading the people to dislike and not approve of
the person’s behaviour, leading to the “tragedy of the commons” [37, 73]. Altruism,
therefore, helps the individual as well as the community in the long term, boosts
psychological well-being of all and improves their happiness. Now that we have an
idea of how the environment impacts our well-being, let us now understand how
human psychology is linked to the environment.