human identity and environmental challenges

Human Identity and Environmental Challenges

Tim Kasser, Ph.D.

Ecological Crises

Responses

• More scientific research

Responses

• More scientific research

• Public denial and apathy

Responses

• More scientific research

• Simple

behavior

changes

• Public denial and apathy

Responses

• More scientific research

• Simple

behavior

changes

• Public denial and apathy

• Failure to spill-over into larger lifestyle changes

Responses

• More scientific research

• Simple

behavior

changes• Policy proposals

• Public denial and apathy

• Failure to spill-over into larger lifestyle changes

Responses

• More scientific research

• Simple

behavior

changes• Policy proposals

• Public denial and apathy

• Failure to spill-over into larger lifestyle changes

• Tinkering due to low public demand and institutional resistance

Human IdentityCrompton & Kasser (2009)

HumanIdentity

Human IdentityCrompton & Kasser (2009)

HumanIdentity

Infor-mation

Human IdentityCrompton & Kasser (2009)

HumanIdentity

Infor-mation

Human IdentityCrompton & Kasser (2009)

HumanIdentity

Infor-mation

Behavior

Human IdentityCrompton & Kasser (2009)

HumanIdentity

Infor-mation

Behavior

PoliticalActions

Human IdentityCrompton & Kasser (2009)

Human IdentityCrompton & Kasser (2009)

Group Identity

Human IdentityCrompton & Kasser (2009)

Group Identity

Coping Strategies

Human IdentityCrompton & Kasser (2009)

Group Identity

Coping Strategies

Values & Goals

Values & Goals

• Guiding principles in life• Affect people’s attitudes towards particular

objects and policies• Orient people to engage in particular

behaviors• Many different types of values and goals

exist

Values & Goals

• Organized in systems• Validated in many nations around world• Some values are compatible, others in

conflict• Data can be represented with circumplex

models– Compatible values are next to each other– Conflicting values are on opposite sides

Universalism

Benevolence

ConformityTradition

Security

Self-Direction

Stimulation

Hedonism

Achievement

Power

Universalism

Benevolence

ConformityTradition

Security

Self-Direction

Stimulation

Hedonism

Achievement

Power

ValuesSchwartz (1992)

• Self-enhancing values– Social power, wealth, authority, successful,

influential

Universalism

Benevolence

ConformityTradition

Security

Self-Direction

Stimulation

Hedonism

Achievement

Power

ValuesSchwartz (1992)

• Self-enhancing values– Social power, wealth, authority, successful,

influential

• Self-transcendent values– Helpful, responsible, mature love, social

justice, equality, a world of beauty, protecting the environment

Self-transcendence

Physical self

Extrinsic Intrinsic

Spirituality

Community

Affiliation

Self-acceptance

Physical health

SafetyHedonism

Financialsuccess

Image

Popularity

Conformity

Self-transcendence

Physical self

Extrinsic Intrinsic

Spirituality

Community

Affiliation

Self-acceptance

Physical health

SafetyHedonism

Financialsuccess

Image

Popularity

Conformity

GoalsGrouzet et al. (2005); Kasser & Ryan (1996)

• Extrinsic – “I will have enough money to buy everything I want.”

– “I will achieve the ‘look’ I've been after.”

– “I will be admired by many people.”

Self-transcendence

Physical self

Extrinsic Intrinsic

Spirituality

Community

Affiliation

Self-acceptance

Physical health

SafetyHedonism

Financialsuccess

Image

Popularity

Conformity

GoalsGrouzet et al. (2005); Kasser & Ryan (1996)

• Extrinsic – “I will have enough money to buy everything I want.”

– “I will achieve the ‘look’ I've been after.”

– “I will be admired by many people.”

• Intrinsic- “I will express my love for special people.”

- “I will help the world become a better place.”

- “I will assist people who need it, asking nothing in return.”

Two Applications

• Dispositions– General priority placed on values in system– Stable over time

Universalism

Benevolence

ConformityTradition

Security

Self-Direction

Stimulation

Hedonism

Achievement

Power

Two Applications

• Dispositions– General priority placed on values in system– Stable over time

• Activation– Moment to moment changes in priorities– Varies across situations

Universalism

Benevolence

ConformityTradition

Security

Self-Direction

Stimulation

Hedonism

Achievement

Power

Relevance to Science Educators

• Personal value dispositions are differentially correlated with ecological attitudes and behaviors

Eco-Attitudes

• Attitudes towards the environment– Good (2007); Saunders & Munro (2000)

• Concern about effects of environmental damage on other people, animals, and future generations– Schultz et al. (2005)

Eco-Behaviors in LabSheldon & McGregor (2000)

• Assigned people to one of three groups• Played forest management game• High extrinsic groups harvested forest at less

sustainable rates

Eco-Behaviors in Lab

Eco-Behaviors in Life

• Frequency of riding bikes, recycling, reuse, etc. – Gatersleben et al (2008); Kasser (2005); Richins &

Dawson (1992)

• Size of Ecological Footprint– 400 N Americans – transportation, housing, food

– Brown & Kasser (2005)

Eco-Behaviors in NationsKasser (2011)

• 20 wealthy nations • Citizens’ values for achievement, power, status,

money vs. loyalty, helpfulness, social justice, a world of beauty

• Associated with National CO2 emissions– even after controlling for GDP/capita

Relevance to Science Educators

• Personal dispositions towards values are differentially correlated with ecological attitudes and behaviors

Relevance to Science Educators

• Personal dispositions towards values are differentially correlated with ecological attitudes and behaviors

• Activating one set of values:– Supports and encourages attitudes and

behaviors consistent with those values– Suppresses and discourages attitudes and

behaviors in conflict with those values

Universalism

Benevolence

ConformityTradition

Security

Self-Direction

Stimulation

Hedonism

Achievement

Power

Self-transcendence

Physical self

Extrinsic Intrinsic

Spirituality

Community

Affiliation

Self-acceptance

Physical health

SafetyHedonism

Financialsuccess

Image

Popularity

Conformity

Activation of ValuesMaio et al. (2009)

• Cardiff students given pre-test measure of SE, ST, and other values

• Then either– Told that their peers highly valued 4 of the Self-

Transcendent aims – Told that their peers highly valued 4 of the Self-

Enhancement aims – Memorized value-irrelevant words (control)

• Then given post-test value measure with new SE, ST, and other values

Change in ST values

Change in SE values

Activation of Eco-AttitudesSheldon, Nichols & Kasser (2010)

• University students primed with identity– Human, Missouri Student, American– Extrinsic American, Intrinsic American

• Asked to recommend ideal Ecological Footprint for Americans in 5 years– 11 items

Recommended EFs

Activation of Eco-Behavior Vansteenkiste et al. (2004)

• Subjects - education students• Asked to read a text on recycling framed as:

– Helping the community (intrinsic)– Saving money (extrinsic)

Activation of Eco-Behavior Vansteenkiste et al. (2004)

• Compared to those given Extrinsic frames, those given Intrinsic frames:– Learned material more deeply– Were more likely to visit library to learn more– Were more likely to go on later trip to recycling plant

Activation of Eco-Behavior Maio et al. (2011)

• Students completed survey about extent to which car sharing– Protects the environment (ST/I)– Saves money (SE/E)

• Then designed logo & disposed of draft drawings

Recycling

Experimental Condition

Implications for Science Educators

• Avoid iatrogenic effects in environmental messages

Possible iatrogenic effects

• SE/E values are encouraged when communicators:– Make motivational appeals based primarily on self-

interested reasons– Focus primarily on the “business case for

sustainability,” “green consumption,” and “fees for environmental services”

Possible iatrogenic effects

• Fear-based messaging• Insecurity shifts people towards SE/E values

– Economic insecurity (Inglehart, 1977; Sheldon & Kasser, 2007)

– Relational insecurity (Kasser et al., 1995; Sheldon & Kasser, 2007)

– Death (Kasser & Sheldon, 2000; Sheldon & Kasser, 2007)

Implications for Science Educators

• Avoid iatrogenic effects in environmental messages

• Form coalitions with groups interested in related outcomes

Well-being Correlates

Measures of Well-beingKasser & Ryan, 1993, 1996, 2001; Sheldon & Kasser, 1995, 1998, 2001

• Distress:– Anxiety

– Depression

– Physical Symptoms

– Unpleasant emotions

– Drug & Alcohol Use

• Happiness– Self-actualization

– Vitality

– Life Satisfaction

– Pleasant Emotions

Found in many samples

• Types of people– Middle & High School

students

– College Students

– Adults

– Business People

• Countries– Australia – Denmark– Germany– Hungary – India – Russia– Singapore – S. Korea– United Kingdom

Social Correlates

Social Attitudes

• Empathy – Sheldon & Kasser (1995)

• Social dominance orientation– Duriez et al. (2007)

• Racial & Ethnic Prejudice– Duriez et al. (2007); Roets et al. (2006)

Social Behavior

• Pro-social and anti-social behavior– Cohen & Cohen (1996); McHoskey (1999); Kasser &

Ryan (1993)

• Cooperative vs. Competitive Behavior– Choose to “get ahead” vs. “cooperate” with friends in

game to win movie ticket– Sheldon et al. (2000)

Implications for Science Educators

• Avoid iatrogenic effects in environmental messages

• Form coalitions with groups interested in related outcomes

• Work to diminish causes of Self-enhancing/Extrinsic values and to encourage Self-transcendent/Intrinsic values

Advertising

• Designed to promote consumerism

• Often creates feelings of insecurity

• Presence everywhere promotes social norm that consumerism is good

Advertising -Directions

• Remove ads from public places

• Ban advertising to children

• Tax advertising as a form of pollution

• Use revenue to promote intrinsic values

National Indicators

• Currently Gross Domestic Product is dominant• Promotes less sustainable policies and behaviors• Alternative indicators include metrics with

intrinsic values in their computation– Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness

– Happy Planet Index

– Genuine Progress Indicator

Gross Domestic Product vs. Genuine Progress Indicator

National Indicators - Directions

• New social norms will be encouraged

• New policies will be developed to maximize alternative indicators

Summary

• Attention to aspects of Human Identity might improve ecological sustainability– Values & Goals– Social Identity– Coping Strategies

Summary

• Important implications for Science Educators

• Beware Iatrogenic effects

• Form Coalitions

• Discourage damaging identities and encourage helpful identities

Thanks!

Up front are 12 free copies of Meeting Environmental Challenges: The Role of Human Identity

Or download it for free at:

www.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/campaigning/strategies_for_change/

E-mail me at: tkasser@knox.edu