Feeling the Nature to Foster Sustainability: The Mediating Role of (Self) Compassion

Giulia Ballarotto (), Valerio Ghezzi and Patrizia Velotti
Additional contact information
Giulia Ballarotto: Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Heath Studies, “La Sapienza” University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy
Valerio Ghezzi: Department of Psychology, “La Sapienza” University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
Patrizia Velotti: Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Heath Studies, “La Sapienza” University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-19

Abstract: Numerous studies have demonstrated that empathy and compassion are significant predictors of pro-environmental and sustainable behaviors. Nevertheless, these studies do not clarify how the relationship between empathy and compassion and consequent pro-social behavior develops. How can feeling the emotion of nature’s suffering move compassion and activate behaviors that support the environment? This study aimed to verify whether self-compassion could act as a mediator in the relationship between empathy with nature and compassion, which in turn is associated with pro-environmental behaviors. A serial mediation model was analyzed on a sample of N = 1213 individuals. The results showed that women had higher levels of empathy with nature, compassion, uncompassionate behaviors toward themselves, and pro-environmental behaviors than males. Furthermore, the serial mediation model was confirmed, demonstrating that our initial hypotheses were supported. Self-compassion and compassion served as partial mediators in the relationship between empathy with nature and pro-environmental behaviors. Additionally, we observed the direct effects of both empathy and self-compassion on pro-environmental behaviors. The findings suggest that fostering self-compassion and compassion through targeted interventions may enhance individuals’ pro-environmental behaviors, especially by leveraging their empathetic connection with nature. Clinicians and educators could integrate self-compassion training into programs aimed at promoting environmental sustainability.

Keywords: pro-environmental behaviors; empathy; compassion; self-compassion; sustainable development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/1/351/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/1/351/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:1:p:351-:d:1560755

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().