How to increase engagement with environmentalism: Perceived threat, behavioural control, and subjective norms as psychological predictors of eco-activism

Background: Climate change-related worry is increasing, with more people taking part in
environmental activism over time. Despite its increasing prevalence, there are several gaps in the literature in terms of psychological predictors of activism. Thereby, this study examined Health Belief Model (HBM) and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) variables in relation to five dimensions of environmental activism. Six additional variables conceptually related to activism were also included as potential predictors: eco-anxiety, climate self-efficacy, rebelliousness, eudaimonic well-being, depression, and coping strategies.

Method: The study included 142 participants, predominantly females (71%), from a variety of
socio-economic backgrounds and countries of origin, with a mean age of 36 years (S.D. +/- 14.34). Bivariate correlational and subsequent multiple regression analyses were run against each of the five dependent variables.

Results/Discussion: It was found that: joining an environmentalist organisation or donating money for these purposes were predicted by eco-anxiety, specifically cognitive-emotional and functional impairment due to climate change, and by the TPB attitudes toward climate action. Also, it was found that: the intention to take part in activism was predicted by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control TPB variables; the severity and barriers variables from the HBM model, along with denial and the TPB attitudes variable predicted the belief that acting now to mitigate climate change would be beneficial; perceived susceptibility to the deleterious effects of climate change, knowledge about such, and perceived severity variables from the HBM predicted direct proenvironmental behaviours, along with attitudes; and, past environmental action was predicted only by the attitudes toward climate action variable.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the unique contribution of this paper is demonstrating that perceived threat, behavioural control, and subjective norms are all important in predicting activism.