Creating a Culture of Conservation: Willingness to Confront Environmental Transgressors

Abstract

Abstract

Previous research has shown that social sanctions can catalyze and buttress conservation efforts; however, it is unclear how willing people are to confront (e.g., express verbal or nonverbal approval or disapproval) environmental transgressions. In the present study, willingness to sanction was measured with respect to recycling. Results showed that there was an asymmetry between approval and disapproval. That is, while participants expressed approval for the commission of a positive conservation behavior (recycling), they did not express disapproval for the omission of the same behavior. When asked about their willingness to sanction, participants were more willing to reward than punish and more willing to impose subtle versus overt sanctions. Willingness to impose each type of social sanction was correlated with the perceived effectiveness of that sanction. Overall, results showed that students were hesitant to confront environmental transgressors with social sanctions. It is proposed that creating a culture of conservation requires a willingness to confront and that the hesitation to impose social sanctions is due to a lack of metanorms that support the sanctioning.