Dettke, Constanze (2024) Just Paint a Picture? The Impact of Utopian Illustrations on Perceived Value Endorsement and Pro-Environmental Behavioural Intentions. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
Research has found perceived biospheric group values (i.e., perceiving group members as caring for nature and the environment) to explain individuals’ engagement in pro-environmental behaviour. However, most individuals believe that others endorse only weak biospheric values, while reporting to endorse strong biospheric values themselves. Thus, it seems necessary to find ways to correct the perceptions of others’ biospheric values to motivate pro-environmental behaviour. The present study used an experimental design to investigate if viewing illustrations of Dutch people’s utopias (i.e., desired societies) would change observers’ perceptions of the biospheric values endorsed in Dutch society and thereby their intentions to behave pro-environmentally. Participants were randomly assigned to either of two experimental conditions presenting them with illustrations that did vs. did not reflect strong endorsement of biospheric values in Dutch society, or an active control condition. Participants in the final sample (N = 84) were mostly young (i.e., 96% below 30 years), female (71%), and of Dutch nationality (62%). There were no significant differences between conditions in perceived biospheric value endorsement or pro-environmental behavioural intentions. Additionally, these two variables were not significantly associated. The association between biospheric value endorsement in the illustrations (i.e., experimental condition) and perceived biospheric value endorsement in Dutch society became significant when including perceived representativeness of the values endorsed in society as a moderator. Additional analyses revealed that non-Dutch participants perceived higher biospheric value endorsement in Dutch society than Dutch participants. Implications of the study’s findings as well as its limitations and suggestions for further research are discussed.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
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| Supervisor name: | Bouman, T. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Environmental Psychology (EP) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 26 Jul 2024 06:46 |
| Last Modified: | 26 Jul 2024 06:46 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/4158 |
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