The Balanced Structure of Environmental Identity

Coral M. Bruni, P. Wesley Schultz and Anna Woodcock
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Coral M. Bruni: Division of Behavioral and Organizational Science, Department of Psychology, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
P. Wesley Schultz: Department of Psychology, California State University, San Marcos, CA 92096, USA
Anna Woodcock: Department of Psychology, California State University, San Marcos, CA 92096, USA

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 15, 1-18

Abstract: Connectedness with nature refers to an individual’s beliefs about their relationship with the natural environment. The current paper integrates connectedness with nature into a broader framework of balanced identity theory as a form of self-concept, and presents new data showing that individuals tend toward balanced-congruity and hold cognitive configurations that balance self-concept, environmental attitudes, and self-esteem. In essence, when an individual scores highly on one of these constructs, it is likely that they will score highly on the other two constructs. Two hundred and seventy-six undergraduate students completed explicit and implicit measures of connectedness with nature, attitudes toward nature, and self-esteem. The balanced-congruity principle was supported with implicit measures (e.g., Implicit Association Test), but not explicitly with self-report measures. Results suggest that attitudes toward nature, connectedness with nature, and self-esteem form a balanced triadic structure of implicit environmental identity. The findings extend our understanding of connectedness with nature, by integrating it into a broader framework that links connectedness, attitudes, and self-esteem as a triadic form of environmental identity. This finding has important implications for practitioners interested in fostering environmental identities and promoting sustainability.

Keywords: balanced identity theory; environmental identity; connectedness with nature (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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