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The low-cost hypothesis predicts that the strength of effects of environmental concern on environmental behavior diminishes with increasing behavioral costs. Thus, environmental concern influences environmental behavior primarily in situations and under conditions connected with low costs and little inconvenience for individual actors. In a first s...
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... based on the notion of an interaction effect, we can start with a simple diagram depicted in Figure 1. The x-axis shows the costs of an ecological activity, and the y-axis the strength of the effect of environmental concern on this activity. ...
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... Most simply, if a person is presumed to adopt a pro-environmental behaviour to mitigate the likelihood of individual or societal exposure to a climate-induced risk, they must likely first be concerned about this risk to act. Yet, concern is often insufficient, on its own, to ultimately serve as the triggering mechanism in a shift toward pro-environmental behaviour, as the role of concern is often moderated by other characteristics (Kollmuss and Agyeman, 2002), such as increased costs (Diekmann and Preisendörfer, 2003), perceptions of individual efficacy , behavioural plasticity, (Nielsen et al., 2024), and trust (Cologna and Siegrist, 2020;Smith and Mayer, 2018). Rather, there likely needs to be an interaction with some other intervention in order to enact latent climate change concern as pro-environmental behaviour. ...
Effective climate change mitigation necessitates swift societal transformations. Positive social tipping processes, where small triggers initiate qualitative systemic shifts, are potential key mechanisms towards instigating the desired emissions mitigation. A necessary foundation for societal tipping processes is the creation of enabling conditions. Here, we assess future sea level rise estimates and social survey data within the framework of a network-based threshold model to exemplify the enabling conditions for tipping processes. We find that in many countries, the level of climate change concern is already sufficient, suggesting the enabling conditions and opportunities for social activation already exist. Further, drawing upon the interrelation between climate change concern and anticipation of future sea level rise, we report three qualitative classes of tipping potential that are regionally clustered, with the greatest potential for tipping in western Pacific Rim and East Asian countries. These findings propose a transformative pathway where climate change concern increases the social tipping potential, while extended anticipation time horizons can trigger the system towards an alternative trajectory of larger social activation for climate change mitigation.
... This theory has proven robust and applicable to various behaviors, particularly environmental ones (Bamberg and Möser 2007). In this regard, authors such as , Diekmann and Preisendörfer (2003), Kaiser and Gutscher (2003), and Steg et al. (2005) highlight the importance of environmental awareness as a key predictor of intention and action in pro-environmental behavior. ...
Responsible consumption decisions are key to achieving environmental sustainability, particularly concerning pro-environmental practices. However, adopting pro-environmental practices varies and is closely linked to the diversity of individual behaviors. Therefore, this research aims to identify the factors determining pro-environmental practices such as electricity-saving, potable water-saving, and recycling in Ecuadorian households from 2010 to 2014. Secondary data from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses were utilized. The information was processed to evaluate the marginal propensity of pro-environmental practices using a logit model and a conditional multinomial logit model. Additionally, tests incorporating unobserved heterogeneity were conducted to assess the robustness of the model. The main findings confirm that the Theory of Planned Behavior explains the performance of environmental practices in Ecuadorian households. Specifically, environmental awareness accounts for the largest increase in pro-environmental practices, approximately 8% and 10%. Moreover, examining the marginal propensity of each pro-environmental practice reveals heterogeneous results. Additionally, labor income and education increase pro-environmental practices by 2.14% to 1.5%, while female-headed households show an increase of 5.68%. Conversely, evidence suggests that Indigenous ethnicity is associated with a lower likelihood of engaging in pro-environmental practices. Policy implications derived from the study suggest focusing public efforts on increasing household environmental awareness.
... Ramkissoon et al. (2013) defined proenvironmental behavior as the acceptance by individuals or groups of a set of behaviors in the management of environmental resources and promotion of environmental sustainability. This set of behaviors is differentiated into four dimensions of transportation, recycling, consumption, and energy saving (Diekmann & Preisendörfer, 2003;Schultz & Kaiser, 2012). There is a plethora of research linking proenvironmental behavior to subjective well-being in a nonsporting setting in the literature with the majority of the studies indicating a positive correlation between the two constructs (Chukwuorji et al., 2017;Robertson & Barling, 2013;Soni, 2023). ...
The collective experiences of attending and participating in a sporting event, competing against other nations, can positively shape individuals’ subjective well-being. This article examines perceived socioeconomic impacts on international attendees’ subjective well-being at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa. The objective is to assess how perceptions of community development, community pride, economic benefits, event values, health benefits, and proenvironmental behavior influence subjective well-being. Using survey data from 297 international attendees, a partial least squares structural equation model is tested. The results show that perceptions of community development, event values, health benefits, and proenvironmental behavior positively influence subjective well-being, while perceptions of community pride and economic benefits do not. The research contributes to understanding how collective sporting event experiences shape subjective well-being for visitors. It suggests experience-related and universal human benefits are the most impactful.
... While social norms can influence what a person feels they should do, local communities will not be motivated to participate in a conservation action if the costs outweigh the benefits (Basten et al. 2010, Htay et al. 2022. If a conservation action has a low cost associated with it, attitudes can be predictors of behavior (Diekman andPreisendorfer 2003, Wyss et al. 2022). Similarly, if the benefit is perceived to be high, then they are more likely to participate in the conservation action (Steg and Vlek 2009). ...
In an increasingly globalized society, wildlife trade facilitates the spread of invasive species and diseases. Amphibians are of particular concern because of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) that has been spread internationally through the amphibian trade from Asia to Europe. Preventing the establishment of Bsal in North America is critical because of the high salamander biodiversity and the paucity of viable management actions once Bsal is detected in an area. Amphibian pet trade stakeholders have had little to no input in the few preventative management actions taken and the pet trade continues to practice problematic behaviors. Engagement is critical to encourage behavior change and affect future preventative actions. Here, we conducted an exploratory study using semi‐structured interviews with 22 amphibian pet trade stakeholders from 5 primary groups across the United States. Interview questions addressed their identities, knowledge, opinions, and behaviors surrounding biosecurity, husbandry, and Bsal management actions. Their knowledge and attitudes toward management actions varied depending upon the topic, and over half were aware of Bsal. Amphibian pet trade stakeholders rely heavily on online forums and interpersonal relationships for information sharing. Our results support implementing effective management to combat Bsal establishment in North America and provide insight to address growing threats of introduced diseases through human behavior‐driven pathways.
... The above study confirmed the asymmetry between environmental awareness and behavior, suggesting that there is an "environmental value action gap" in sports activities. Diekmann and Preisendörfer (2003) argued that this gap can be explained by the low-cost hypothesis, whereby sport participants perceive the "higher cost" of using public transportation (because of the loss of convenience) for the trips required for them to participate in sports and are reluctant to forego the use of more convenient modes of travel, such as private automobiles, thus resulting in a greater carbon footprint. Encouraging participants to adopt energy-efficient behaviors, such as using low-carbon transportation options such as electric vehicles or public transport, can help bridge the gap between environmental awareness and action. ...
Carbon emissions from mega sporting events pose a serious challenge to the sustainable development of the global environment, and the management of carbon emissions and energy efficiency in sporting events has become a focus of attention for both countries and international organizations. However, most existing research focuses on carbon emissions in sporting events is limited by a narrow focus on individual cases, limited attention to indirect emissions, insufficient integration of socioeconomic dimensions, a lack of broader data coverage, the adoption of interdisciplinary methodologies, and an emphasis on lifecycle energy risk management to provide robust support for sustainable event practices and policy development. To remedy these deficiencies, this study systematically compiles the current situation of carbon emissions in sports activities, analyzes the carbon emission characteristics and energy-saving potential of different types of sporting events, and summarizes the excellent cases of carbon emission and energy efficiency management in sports activities. The study reveals that large-scale sporting events generate substantial carbon emissions and energy consumption in transportation, venue construction, and event operation. However, carbon emissions and energy usage can be significantly reduced by optimizing venue locations, promoting green transportation, and implementing energy-saving measures at all stages. This study not only provides empirical data and theoretical support for the management of carbon emissions and energy efficiency in sporting events but also proposes practical and feasible suggestions that are highly important for the sustainable development of future sporting events. The findings have reference value for policymakers and event organizers in planning and implementing energy-saving and low-carbon events, helping promote environmental governance and sustainable development in the sports sector.
... First, a strong moral commitment to reducing one's negative impact on the environment is an important driving force behind people's willingness to separate their waste (Oskamp et al., 1998;Schultz, 1999;Kaiser & Schultz, 2009;Aprile & Fiorillo, 2019). However, Diekmann and Preisendörfer (2003) suggest that environmental motivations play a role mostly in scenarios with low opportunity cost of time (i.e., situations that do not entail substantial inconvenience for the individual). ...
... As can be seen, respondents report having relatively high environmental awareness (2.14 on a 1-5 scale, where 1 represents highest concern for the environment). This variable is an average of nine questions of environmental attitudes taken from Diekmann and Preisendörfer (2003) (see question 5 in the survey -Appendix A). Low values of this variable mean that environmental attitudes are high, with 1 being the highest value, where high values mean low environmental attitudes (5 being the lowest). ...
Waste separation plays a critical role in sustainable waste management, yet implementing effective programs remains challenging due to varying household participation. This paper investigates the determinants of households’ willingness to sort waste into multiple streams, focusing on the intensive margin of waste separation behavior. Our key contribution is examining how increasing the number of required sorting streams impacts the willingness to participate, providing new insights into optimal sorting complexity. We also examine the roles of distance to collection facilities and monetary incentives. We conduct a discrete choice experiment using a representative sample of 481 respondents in Israel, each faced with 15 discrete choice games. The study offers valuable insights by examining a broad spectrum of sorting streams, ranging from a single stream up to six separation categories. The results show that asking respondents to sort waste into an additional waste stream increased their willingness to sort waste by 17% (OR = 1.17) on average. This suggests households are reasonably accepting of having to sort waste into multiple streams for recycling programs. The analysis also confirms positive effects of monetary incentives and proximity to collection points on the willingness to sort waste. Providing a $14 monthly incentive increased willingness to sort waste by 2.12 times, while adding 3 min to the walking distance reduced willingness to sort waste by 55% (OR = 0.45). Overall, the findings reveal considerable support among the Israeli population for comprehensive waste sorting and recycling efforts involving several segregated material streams, especially when combined with monetary incentives and convenient collection. We recommend that municipalities examine the economic viability of designing waste sorting programs with multiple streams with the provision of financial incentives, and while ensuring convenient access to collection facilities to enhance participation and optimize recycling outcomes.
... De Groot and Schuitema (2012) found that people tend to reject policies that force them to change their behaviour, especially when the behaviour change is costly and not widely supported by social norms. One example of such policies is those that aim to reduce private car usage, which many people perceive as a high-cost behaviour change (e. g., Diekmann and Preisendörfer, 2003), as it is associated with giving up many benefits, including perceived social status, independence, flexibility, and comfort (De Groot and Steg, 2006). For example, Canada's public acceptability of sustainable transport interventions varies widely, with 44.3 % favouring street closures and 73.5 % supporting more curb extensions. ...
... Magyarországi kutatások is jelzik, hogy az intenzív klímaattitűdök kedveznek a klímavédő politikák támogatásának (Kiss-Balla-Kovács 2022). Ugyanakkor Diekmann-Preisendörfer (2003) low-cost hipotézise értelmében a környezetattitűdök és a cselekvési diszpozíciók közti kapcsolat inkább az alacsony költségű, kevésbé kockázatos hajlandóságok és cselekvések esetében valósul meg. ...
... Az ISSP mindegyik modelljében megjelenik a környezetvédelemmel kapcsolatos fizetési hajlandóság mindkét mért bizalomtípussal és iskolázottsági szinttel való összefüggése, de egyik modellben sem függ szignifikánsan a környezettudatos attitűdöktől. Ez az eredmény ellentmond a szakirodalomban az attitűd-cselekvési diszpozíció mentén bizonyított kapcsolatnak (például Meyer-Liebe 2010, Liebe-Preisendörfer-Meyerhoff 2011, és arra enged következtetni, hogy az általános környezetattitűdök a magasabb költségű cselekvési hajlandóságokra nézve kevésbé döntőek (Diekmann-Preisendörfer 2003). Ambivalens képet mutat a klímatudatosság is, ami csak a magasabb árakra való fizetési hajlandósággal, illetve a kumulált hajlandósággal függ össze. ...
Tanulmányunkban az International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) 1993-as, 2020-as és a European Values Survey (EVS) 1991–2017 felmérései alapján vizsgáljuk a környezetvédelemmel kapcsolatos fizetési hajlandóságot Magyarországon. Elemzésünk célja, hogy feltárja a fizetési hajlandóság trendjének alakulását és a hajlandósággal összefüggő egyéni szintű háttérváltozókat. Az eredmények azt mutatják, hogy a vizsgált periódusban csökkent a magyarországiak környezetvédelemmel kapcsolatos fizetési hajlandósága. Az ISSP 2020 és az EVS 2017 adatain a szakirodalom alapján megfogalmazott hipotézisek mentén, logisztikus regressziós módszerrel vizsgáljuk a környezetvédelemmel kapcsolatos fizetési hajlandóságot befolyásoló tényezőket. Az EVS egyetlen, az ISSP három kérdésben vizsgálja a fizetési hajlandóságot. A három kérdést külön-külön, majd egy kumulatív változóvá alakítva is elemezzük. A regressziós modellek eredményei egyszerre jeleznek hasonlóságokat és különbségeket. Összességében nézve, a környezetvédelmi fizetési hajlandóság egy gazdasági helyzetbe ágyazott specifikus diszpozíció, kifejezéséhez nem elegendőek a környezetvédelemmel kapcsolatos pozitív attitűdök, a kérdés gazdasági fejlődést is feltételez, amiért a válaszadók a környezet bizonyos aspektusait is képesek feláldozni. A magasabb iskolázottság és jövedelem, a bizalom különböző formái, a posztmaterialista értékrend, a környezettudatosság ugyancsak növeli a fizetési hajlandóságot, és beigazolja ilyen irányú hipotéziseinket A klímatudatosság szignifikánsan növeli a fizetési hajlandóság egyes dimenzióit, általában véve viszont még túl távolinak tűnik ahhoz, hogy fizetési diszpozíciókra bírja a válaszadókat.
... Arain et al. [12] found that lacking knowledge about disposal sites and access to a recycling facility within a reasonable distance are important elements in consumer decisions. In their research, Diekmann and Preisendorfer suggest that attitude can have an impact on behavior, particularly in low-cost situation [13], [14]. The lower the pressure of cost, the easier for consumers to take their environmental responsibility. ...
Due to the increased demand for electrical and electronic devices, Vietnam has emerged as one of the major importers of electronic goods in Southeast Asia. This corresponds to Vietnam facing an escalating issue of electronic waste. In light of this concern, the purpose of this study was to investigate the individual intention regarding the recycling of electronic waste. To achieve this objective, a survey was conducted among 1020 respondents with varying genders, and educational levels in Ho Chi Minh City. The collected data was analyzed sing SPSS and AMOS software, enabling the development of a structural model. The findings of the study found that social pressure was the most influential factor affecting the intention to recycle electronic waste. Following closely behind were inconveniences, economic factors, attitudes, and awareness. Based on the outcome, it is recommended that policymakers should focus on creating effective advocacy programs, enhancing convenience, and improving public understanding and awareness in order to help reduce electronic waste.
... Specific pro-environmental behaviours have been categorised based on the level of effort in binary terms (e.g. Diekmann & Preisendörfer, 2003;Esfandiar et al., 2019). Typically, behaviours are considered high-cost when they take a lot of effort to engage in (i.e. ...
... Our theory takes the ideas proposed by Biel and Dahlstrand (2005), Verplanken and Wood (2006), and categorisations made regarding pro-environmental behaviour (e.g. Diekmann & Preisendörfer, 2003) one step further (1) by conceptualising behaviours not as binary, but rather as located along a continuum between being purely habitual and requiring high levels of mental processing, and (2) by proposing that behaviour change can be better understood and changed if it is conceptualised as a continuous process as opposed to a single incident. The current paper falls between two common types of conceptual papers (Jaakkola, 2020): theory synthesis and theory adaptation. ...
