Article summary of Explaining the paradox: How pro-environmental behavior can both thwart and forster well-being by Venhoeven et al. - Chapter

What is this article about?

Pro-environmental behaviour is often believed to be difficult and threatening one’s quality of life. But recent studies suggest that people who behave in a more pro-environmental way are actually more satisfied with their lives than people who do not. This article tries to explain the apparent paradox between pro-environmental behavior and the increase in well-being. To explain this, the article explains the different views on what well-being entails and whether the focus is on hedonic well-being or eudaimonic well-being, so on feeling pleasure of feeling meaningful.

How should well-being be defined?

Before we are able to say anything about the relationship between pro-environmental behaviour and well-being, it is important to examine the definition of well-being. Hedonic well-being has its roots in the philosophy of Aristippus, who believed that the goal of life was to experience the maximum amount of pleasure. Eudaimonic well-being has its roots in the philosophy of Aristotle, who believed well-being meant “living well,” so using one’s best human capacities by actively pursuing virtues and excellences.

Hedonic and eudaimonic well-being are often seen as two distinct versions of well-being. Some people even state that the pursuit of one of the two, drives a person further away from the other. But the two concepts of well-being are not mutually exclusive and even show a great overlap. People who feel like they lead a good life, will also experience more pleasure, and people who experience a lot of pleasure, will also be more motivated and more effective in leading a good life.

What is the relationship between pro-environmental behavior and hedonic well-being?

Difficulty to judge the usefulness and effectiveness of one’s behaviour may have a negative consequence for the hedonic well-being of people who engage in pro-environmental behavior. The pursuit of goals that are perceived to be unattainable, because you cannot fix the environment on your own, can lead to psychological distress and reduced well-being. It is important to note that the goal pursuit only reduces hedonic well-being if the goal is perceived to be unattainable. Despite the uncertainty about whether and when the results will become visible, most people do feel like they can contribute to the protection of the environment. An easy way to make goals feel more attainable, is by reframing big goals into smaller goals. Small projects feel attainable and hedonic happiness can be found in the pursuit of attainable goals.

There are studies that have suggested that consumption increases hedonic well-being. Based on these findings, it might be implied that consuming in a more sustainable way would thus lead to a decrease in well-being. But this is not the care. Firstly, because sustainable consumption does not necessarily equate to consuming less, but rather to consuming differently. And secondly, because consumption is not the only way to gain well-being. There are other ways of experiencing pleasure. So, reducing our overconsumption and consuming more sustainably does not have to lead to a decrease in hedonic well-being.

It is difficult to establish whether better environmental conditions lead to increased hedonic well-being. It seems to make sense that pro-environmental action would bring more hedonic well-being by leading to better environmental conditions and thus giving people better conditions to live a comfortable life. But all studies that have tried to prove this, are correlational, so we are not sure. Furthermore, the change in conditions is slow, so the people who act pro-environmentally, are usually not the same people that live in the bettered environmental conditions.

Lastly, some pro-environmental acts are less pleasurable than their harmful counterparts. Adding pleasurable or hedonic aspects to pro-environmental behaviors can increase the hedonic well-being derived from these behaviors. Think about incorporating energy saving actions into a fun fame. But this may not be the most effective way to increase the well-being derived from pro-environmental behaviour in general, because one would have to add hedonic aspects to all separate pro-environmental behaviors. Also, it is not necessary to do this, because pro-environmental behaviour in general can already provide hedonic well-being by bringing people closer to reaching a goal.

What is the relationship between pro-environmental behavior and eudaimonic well-being?

Engaging in virtuous activities is expected to foster eudaimonic well-being. If you take the effort to engage in good behaviour, you feel like a good person and you are happier because of this. The positive link between well-being and doing good can also be inferred from research on pro-social behaviour. Doing the right thing contributes to eudaimonic well-being, especially when the choice for the right behaviour is intrinsically and autonomously motivated.

So, in order to provide a sense of meaning and bring eudaimonic well-being, it is important that pro-environmental behaviour is seen as “the right thing.” Most people feel like it is, but not everyone. Whether one sees pro-environmental behaviour as good behaviour may depend on the norms and values upheld by the social groups one belongs to. If people do not value environmental protection or do not think pro-environmental behaviour is the right thing to do, it is less likely that behaving in a pro-environmental way will add to their eudaimonic well-being.

How can policies increase pro-environmental behaviour?

To conclude this article, pro-environmental behaviour in itself does not have to result in a decrease of well-being. But this does not warrant that pro-environmental behaviour will thus have a positive influence on well-being. This article offers some general guidelines for how policy makers can increase the likelihood of a positive relation between pro-environmental behaviour and well-being.

“Forcing” people to act in a pro-environmental way will only be counterproductive. For pro-environmental behaviour to increase well-being, it is important to convince people that their behaviour is right and meaningful, and stimulate people to choose this behaviour of their own free will. Future research is needed to examine how intrinsic and autonomous motivation for pro-environmental behaviour can best be generated in order to form a positive link between pro-environmental behaviour and well-being.