With some notable exceptions, previous studies on the psychology of climate change denial have neglected to examine ultimate causes. In the present study, we employed an evolutionary approach to understand environmental attitudes. Specifically, we examined the role of status striving and hypercompetitiveness as they related to overconsumption and climate change attitudes. A mixed student/community sample (Mean age = 33.6) completed measures relating to hypercompetitiveness, insecure status striving, overconsumption of resources, and attitudes toward climate change. Participants endorsed the role of human activity in climate change to a similar level as national polls. Both insecure status striving and hypercompetitiveness were significantly related to a feeling that one deserves material possessions and pessimism about remedying climate change. Hypercompetitiveness was further related to self-reports of having more material possessions than are regularly used. Regression analyses revealed that hypercompetitiveness mediated the relationship between insecure status striving and scores on relevant overconsumption and climate change items. Therefore, hypercompetitiveness may be the underlying mechanism by which status striving is related to overconsumption and pessimism about ameliorating climate change. We discuss the implications of the findings and how an evolutionary approach can be used to further inform climate change research and efforts to “go green.” Key Words: Status striving—Hypercompetitive—Overconsumption—Climate change.
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