Personality traits and associations with pro-environmental and economically-relevant behaviors: A brief overview of research evidence

George Halkos and Anastasia Gkargkavouzi

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: The current review aims to briefly (1) examine the relationship between personality traits and pro-environmental behaviors, considering the role of attitudinal and other psychological factors like concern, and (2) explore how personality variables are associated with economic choices in the context of environmental preference, especially willingness to pay (WTP) for environmental goods and services. Overall, the results highlight the importance of personality dimensions in understanding and predicting pro-environmental actions and intentions, including WTP. Personality traits play a significant role in explaining variations in environmental concern and sustainable behaviors. Agreeableness and openness have emerged as reliable indicators of individual environmental considerations. Agreeableness reflects empathy and concern for others, while openness is associated with increased environmentally conscious behavior. Neuroticism and conscientiousness have also been linked to environmental concern, but their impact may be influenced by contextual factors. Personality research enhances researchers' understanding of individual variations in economic behavior, providing more comprehensive explanations for individuals' choices and values. Understanding the impact of personality on stated preferences can enhance our comprehension of the variations in acceptance of environmental improvement policies among individuals, shed light on the distribution of benefits and costs across different personality types, and identify potential challenges in implementing these environmental improvements due to behavioral factors. Research on personality and environmentalism needs to expand to advance our understanding environmental behaviors and economic choices.

Keywords: Personality; Pro-environmental Behavior; Economically Relevant Behavior; Environmental Concern. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I30 Q00 Q51 Q59 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-env
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