TITLE:
How Concerned, Afraid and Hopeful Are We? Effects of Egoism and Altruism on Climate Change Related Issues
AUTHORS:
Igor Knez
KEYWORDS:
Egoism; Altruism; Concern; Fear; Hope; Climate Change Issues
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.4 No.10,
October
12,
2013
ABSTRACT: The idea that concerns for and emotional reactions to climate change may
be due to environment-related egoism and altruism was tested. Participants
assessed as “high” on egoism were shown to be more concerned for myself-related
issues and afraid of the climate change impact on their local environment, indicating
a self-benefit goal motive. Participants assessed as “high” on altruism were
those more concerned for issues related to others and nature and more afraid
and less hopeful for the whole world, indicating a pro-social goal motive in
this group of individuals. This indicates that environment-related value orientations
of egoism and altruism may prompt concerns and convey feelings differently
about the climate change issue. Accordingly, when encouraging sustainable
development, policy and pro-environmental actions, we have to bear in mind
people’s world views grounded in environment-related selfishness vs. unselfishness;
indicating different goal-directed motives in climate change decision making.