Gender Differences in Pro-Environmental Behavior Intentions

Presenter Information

Katherine Pride
Sarah Cline
Cassandra Branham
Lauren Toledo
Heather B. Truelove

Faculty Sponsor

Heather Barnes Truelove

Faculty Sponsor College

College of Arts and Sciences

Faculty Sponsor Department

Psychology

Location

SOARS Virtual Conference

Presentation Website

https://unfsoars.domains.unf.edu/2021/posters/gender-differences-in-pro-environmental-behavior-intentions/

Keywords

SOARS (Conference) (2021 : University of North Florida) – Archives; SOARS (Conference) (2021 : University of North Florida) – Posters; University of North Florida -- Students -- Research – Posters; University of North Florida. Office of Undergraduate Research; University of North Florida. Graduate School; College students – Research -- Florida – Jacksonville – Posters; University of North Florida – Undergraduates -- Research – Posters; University of North Florida. Department of Psychology -- Research – Posters; Environmental compliance -- Sex differences -- Research – Posters; Environmental protection -- Sex differences -- Research -- Posters

Abstract

Previous research has found gender differences in pro-environmental behavior (PEB) performance. Women typically score higher on environmental concern and show stronger inclination to engage in private or domestic PEBs (Tindall et al., 2003) and Allen et al. (2015) found that women are more likely to engage in efficiency upgrade PEBs. However, men show higher prevalence towards performing public PEB (Hunter et al., 2004). The present study recruited 313 Mturk participants. They were randomly assigned to one of six different norm levels. After exposure to a norm level, the experimental groups were provided the opportunity to perform the PEB. Participants then completed measures of environmental attitudes and were asked questions relating to their intention to partake in a list of PEBs in the coming six months. These related to efficiency upgrades, political PEB, home PEB, and travel PEB. We hypothesized that women would be more likely to engage in PEBs relating to home, travel, and efficiency upgrades when compared to men; and that men will be more likely to engage in political PEBs. Results yielded women scoring significantly higher on intention to engage in home PEBs (p < .001) and travel PEBs (p = .016), but no significant difference was found for efficiency upgrades (p = .972) or political PEBs (p = .898). Knowing the tendencies and intentions behind different genders’ PEB performance allows us the opportunity to intervene based on both genders. While recognizing the nature of engagement on specific PEB, we can efficiently promote specific PEB engagement within groups.

Comments

Audio Presentation Transcript:

Hi,
My name is Katherine Pride, and this is our poster on gender differences in pro-environmental behavior.

According to past research, women have been found to score higher on concerns for the environment and are more likely to engage in private or home related PEBs. In addition, it has been found that women are more likely to take part in efficiency upgrades. However, men have shown more prevalence in performing public PEBs – for example, political activism.

Based on these findings, we hypothesized that women will be more likely to engage in PEBs that relate to home, travel, and efficiency upgrades, in comparison to men. We also hypothesized that men will be more likely to engage in political PEBs.

In this study, 313 participants recruited from MTurk, 168 being female, were asked demographic questions, then randomly assigned to one of the experimental groups or the control condition. The experimental groups were assigned to view a message, stating “___ of previous participants polled agreed to review the tutorial”. The percentage assigned to the participant could have been 6, 16, 46, 54, 84, or 94 percent. The control group did not see this message at all. Participants were then asked if they would view the one-minute tutorial from a non-profit organization committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. Answering yes or no to viewing the tutorial was PEB1. Succeeding questions were based on the second pro-environmental behavior, which was the PEB intention scale on efficiency upgrades, political, home, and travel. Example questions of such categories are, “Apply insulation to home water heater”, “Vote for pro-environmental policy”, “Wait until dishwasher is full before running”, and “Walk or cycle instead of driving to places within 1 mile”.

A series of t-tests were used to analyze the effects of gender on PEB intention.

Our results yielded that men and women did not differ significantly on their intentions to perform efficiency PEBs. Similarly, men and women did not differ on their intentions to perform political PEBs. However, women did score significantly higher on their intentions to perform travel PEBs and to perform home PEBs.

In conclusion, being able to understand the differences in PEB intention and behavior amongst genders allows us to intercede with aligning approaches to the research to target the tendencies of each gender. This includes but is not limited to directing advertisements of home and travel PEBs towards women, such as buying organic groceries and bicycling to places within one mile, rather than driving a car. On the other hand, efficiency upgrades and political PEBs can be directed towards both genders by promoting new energy efficient appliances and voting for a pro-environmental policy.

Our research findings supported part of our first hypothesis, that women are more likely to engage in home and travel PEBs, but there was not support to conclude women being more likely to engage in efficiency upgrades. Also, our second hypothesis was not supported in that there was no evidence that men are more likely to engage in political PEBs.

Thank you for your time and for attending this presentation.

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