Eco-Anxiety motivates pro-environmental behaviors: a Two-Wave Longitudinal Study

Recent studies suggest that eco-anxiety motivates pro-environmental behaviors. However, these studies are all cross-sectional in nature, and they frequently neglect possible important confounding variables (e.g., ecological identity). The present study was designed to deepen our understanding of the effect of eco-anxiety on pro-environmental behaviors by addressing the abovementioned limitations of recent research. The present study consisted of a 2-wave longitudinal study in which eco-anxiety and pro-environmental behaviors as well as possible confounding variables (i.e., ecological identity and personality) were assessed among French adults. As hypothesized, individuals' experience of eco-anxiety at t1 was positively and significantly related to individuals' engagement in pro-environmental behaviors at t2. This significant positive relationship was observed even when ecological identity, the Big Five domains of personality, and pro-environmental behaviors at t1 were controlled for. It thus appeared that compared with individuals with low levels of eco-anxiety at a given time, individuals with higher levels of eco-anxiety at a given time displayed a greater likelihood of experiencing increases in their subsequent engagement in pro-environmental behaviors. The results are discussed in light of current knowledge about the function of anxiety.