INSTITUT FÜR PSYCHOLOGIE

Neue Publikation!

Kaiser, F. G., Kibbe, A. & Hentschke, L. (2021). Offsetting behavioral costs with per­so­nal atti­tude: A slightly more complex view of the attitude-behavior relation. Per­so­na­li­ty and Indi­vi­du­al Differences, 183, 111158.

Available free of charge for the next 50 days: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1dUlWheKdmtb1

Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.111158

Abstract:

In this research, we propose that the notorious attitude-behavior gap—the notion that people profess attitudes without taking real actions—might also stem from ignoring the fact that manifest behavior typically involves costs (i.e., personal resources such as time, money, exertion). In two quasi-field experiments with convenience samples (N₁ = 396; N₂ = 252), we demonstrate that the people who performed increasingly costly behavior professed progressively stronger attitudes. Our findings suggest that the costs that obstruct behavior must be offset by attitudes before behavior can manifest itself. Thus, there is a need to stop confusing weak attitude-behavior correlations with the behavioral irrelevance of attitudes. To avoid underestimating the importance of people's attitudes concerning environmental protection, the strength of attitudes relative to the associated behavioral costs must be considered.

Highlights:

• A too simplistic view of the attitude-behavior relation makes it appear inconsistent.

• Attitudes reflect the occurrence probabilities of attitude-relevant behavior.

• Progressively stronger attitudes compensate for increasingly costly behavior.

• Surmounted behavioral costs coincide with the strength of environmental attitudes.

• Undemanding opinions must not be confused with behavior-relevant attitudes.

Unsere Promovierenden Ronja Gerdes und Maximilian Adler stellen im interdisziplinären Nachhaltigkeitskolloquium des Grünen Salons der OVGU aktuelle Forschung unserer Abteilung vor. Das Programm startet ab dem 14.02. online. Weitere Informationen finden Sie hier.

Prof. Florian Kaiser spricht im Podcast "How to Save the World" in der neuesten Folge "The Real Psychology of Why We Make Environmental Changes" mit Katie Patrick über nachhaltiges Verhalten, Umwelteinstellung und Verhaltenskosten. Hier finden Sie alle weiteren Infos (Englisch).

Prof. Kaisers Keynote Vortrag mit dem Titel Protecting the environment for its own sake against all odds. (3. International Conference on Environmental Psychology, Syrakus, Italien, 6. Oktober 2021) ist ab jetzt online verfügbar. Schaut rein und lasst uns wissen, was ihr denkt!