Collective emotions are considered relevant factors in predicting proecological behavior. However, the literature provides no insight into the role played by culture, despite the fact that emotions depend on specific appraisals, which are culturally grounded. As climate change is appraised as a political issue in France and as a moral issue in Germany, we hypothesize that different patterns of emotional responses will be observed in France and in Germany when facing climate change. One hundred forty-five French students and 92 German students completed a questionnaire. The main results indicate that participants in France report feeling high levels of self-focused emotions, and these emotions best predicted their intentions to act in favor of the environment. In Germany, other-focused emotions are mostly reported and best predicted proecological intentions. These results may have some important implications when planning measures to enhance proecological behaviors.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AjzenI. (2001). Nature and operation of attitudes. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 27–58.
2.
BambergS., & MöserG. (2007). Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford and Tomera: A new meta-analysis of psychosocial determinants of pro-environmental behaviour. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 27, 14–25.
3.
BarrS. (2003). Are we all environmentalists now? Rhetoric and reality in environmental action. Geoforum, 35, 231–249.
4.
BatelS., CastroP., Devine-WrightP., & HowarthC. (2016). Developing a critical agenda to understand pro-environmental actions: Contributions from social representations and social practices theories. WIREs Climate Change, 7, 727–745.
5.
BerenguerJ. (2007). The effect of empathy in proenvironmental attitudes and behaviors. Environment and Behavior, 39, 269–283.
6.
BizmanA., YinonY., & KrotmanS. (2001). Group-based emotional distress: An extension of self discrepancy theory. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 1291–1300.
7.
BonnotV., & Krauth-GruberS. (2018). Guilt norms regarding historical violence and implications for intergroup relations in France. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 62, 43–54.
8.
BonnotV., Krauth-GruberS., Drozda-SenkowskaE., & LopesD. (2016). Emotional reactions to the French colonization in Algeria: The normative nature of collective guilt. Social Science Information, 55, 531–554.
9.
CaillaudS. (2016). Social representations theory: A dialogical approach to the ecological crisis. Papers on Social Representations, 26, 6.1–6.30.
10.
CaillaudS., BonnotV., RatiuE., & Krauth-GruberS. (2016). How groups cope with collective responsibility for ecological problems: Symbolic coping and collective emotions. British Journal of Social Psychology, 55, 297–317.
11.
CaillaudS., & FlickU. (2013). New meanings for old habits? Representations of climate change in France and in Germany. International Review of Social Psychology, 26, 39–72.
12.
CaillaudS., & KalampalikisN. (2013). Focus groups and ecological practices: A psychosocial approach. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 10, 382–401.
13.
CaillaudS., KalampalikisN., & FlickU. (2012). The social representations of the Bali climate conference in the French and German media. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 22, 363–378.
14.
CastroP. (2015). Social representations of sustainability: Reseraching time, institution, conflict and communication. In SammutG., AndreouliE., GaskellG., & ValsinerJ. (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of social representations (pp. 295–308). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
15.
ChibretR.-P. (1991). Les associations écologiques en France et en Allemagne. Une analyse culturelle de la mobilisation collective [Ecological associations in France and Germany. A cultural analysis of collective movements] (Doctoral dissertation). Université Paris I, Paris, France.
16.
CialdiniR., DarbyB., & VincentJ. (1973). Transgression and altruism: A case for hedonism. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 9, 502–516.
17.
ClaytonS., Devine-WrightP., SwimJ., BonnesM., StegL., WhitmarshL., & CarricoA. (2016). Expanding the role for psychology in addressing environmental challenges. American Psychologist, 71, 199–215.
18.
De LeersnyderJ., BoigerM., & MesquitaB. (2015). Cultural differences in emotions. Emerging Trends in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: An Interdisciplinary, Searchable, and Linkable Resource, doi:10.1002/9781118900772.etrds0060
19.
DobréM. (2002). L'écologie au quotidien. Eléments pour une théorie sociologique de la résistance ordinaire [Ecology in daily life. Elements for a sociological theory of ordinary resistance]. Paris: L'harmattan.
20.
EidM., & DienerE. (2001). Norms for experiencing emotions in different cultures: Inter- and intranational differences. Journal Of Personality & Social Psychology, 81, 869–885.
21.
ElliotA., & DevineP. (1994). On the motivational nature of cognitive dissonance: Dissonance as psychological discomfort. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67, 382–394.
FergusonM., & BranscombeN. (2010). Collective guilt mediates the effect of beliefs about global warming on willingness to engage in mitigation behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30, 135–142.
25.
GelisenJ. (2007). Explaining popular support for environmental protection. A multilevel analysis of 50 nations. Environment and Behavior, 39, 392–415.
26.
GoslingP., DenizeauM., & OberléD. (2006). Denial of responsibility: A new mode of dissonance reduction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 90, 722–733.
27.
HarthN., KesslerT., & LeachC. (2008). Advantaged group's emotional reactions to intergroup inequality: The dynamics of pride, guilt, and sympathy. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34, 115–129.
28.
HarthN., LeachC., & KesslerT. (2013). Guilt, anger and pride about in-group environmental behaviour: Different emotions predict distinct intentions. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 34, 18–26.
29.
HomburgA., & StolbergA. (2006). Explaining pro-environmental behavior with a cogniive theory of stress. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 26, doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2006.03.003
30.
HomburgA., StolbergA., & WagnerU. (2007). Coping with global environmental problems. Development and first validation of scales. Environment and Behavior, 39, 754–778.
31.
IyerA., LeachC., & CrosbyF. J. (2003). White guilt and racial compensation: The benefits and limits of self-focus. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29, 117–129.
32.
JacquiotP. (2007). Comparaison des processus de formation et de diffusion du mouvement écologiste en RFA et en France [Comparison of the training and distribution processes of the ecology movement in the FRG and France]. Cahiers Internationaux de Sociologie, 73, 217–244.
33.
KaiserF., SchultzW., BerenguerJ., Corral-VerdugoV., & TankhaG. (2008). Extending planned environmentalism. Anticipated guilt and embarassement across culture. European Psychologist, 13, 288–297.
34.
KalsE., & MaesJ. (2002). Sustainable development and emotions. In SchmuckP. & SchultzW. (Eds.), Psychology and sustainable development (pp. 97–122). Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
35.
KalsE., MontadaL., & SchumacherD. (1999). Emotional affinity toward nature as a motivational basis to protect nature. Environment and Behavior, 31, 178–202.
36.
KellerR. (1998). Müll - die gesellschaftliche Konstruktion des Wertvollen. Die öffentliche Diskussion über Abfall in Deutschland und in Frankreich [Waste—the social construction of value. Public discussions about garbage in Germany and France]. Opladen, Germany: Westdeutscher Verlag.
37.
KitayamaS., MarkusH., & MatsumotoH. (1995). Culture, self, and emotion: A cultural perspective on ‘self-conscious’ emotions. In TangneyJ. & FischerK. W. (Eds.), Self-conscious emotions: The psychology of shame, guilt, embarrassment, and pride (pp. 439–464). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
38.
KuckartzU. (2009). Globaler Klimawandel und Gerechtigkeit: Einstellung und Verhalten der BürgerInnen in Deutschland und Europa [Global climate change and equity: Attitudes and behaviours of German and European citizens]. Tagung Klimawandel und Gerechtigkeit. Hamburg, Germany: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung.
39.
LeachC. W., SniderS., & IyerA. (2002). “Poisoning the consciences of the fortunate”: The experience of relative advantage and support for social equality. In WalkerI. & SmithH. J. (Eds.), Relative deprivation: Specification, development, and integration (pp. 136–163). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
40.
MallettR., MelchioriK., & StrickrothT. (2013). Self-confrontation via a carbon footprint calculator increases guilt and support for a pro-environmental group. Ecopsychology, 5, 9–16.
41.
MeijndersA., MiddenC., & WilkeH. (2001). Role of negative emotion in communication about CO2 risks. Risk Analysis, 21, 955–966.
42.
MilfontT., DuckittJ., & CameronL. (2006). A cross-cultural study of environmental motive concerns and their implications for proenvironmental behavior. Environment and Behavior, 38, 745–767.
43.
MontadaL., & KalsE. (2000). Political implications of psychological research on ecological justice and pro-environmental behavior. International Journal of Psychology, 35, 168–176.
44.
OECD. (2016). OECD Factbook 2015–2016: Economic, environmental and social statistics. Paris, France: OECD Publishing. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/factbook-2015-en
45.
OnwezenM., BartelsJ., & AntonidesG. (2014). Environmentally friendly consumer choices: Cultural differences in the self-regulatory function of anticipated pride and guilt. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 40, 239–248.
46.
PaladinoM., ZaniboniS., FasoliF., VaesJ., & VolpatoC. (2014). Why did Italians protest against Berlusconi's sexist behaviour? The role of sexist beliefs and emotional reactions in explaining women and men's pathways to protest. British Journal of Social Psychology, 53, 201–216.
47.
PattonM. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousands Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
48.
RatnerC. (2000). A cultural-psychological analysis of emotions. Culture and Psychology, 6, 5–39.
49.
ReesJ., & BambergS. (2014). Climate protection needs societal change: Determinants of intention to participate in collective climate action. European Journal of Social Psychology, 44, 466–473.
50.
RosemanI. J. (1991). Appraisal determinants of discrete emotions. Cognition and Emotion, 5, 161–200.
51.
RosemanI. J. (2001). A model of appraisal in the emotion system: Integrating theory, research, and applications. In SchererK. R., SchorrA., & JohnstoneT. (Eds.), Appraisal processes in emotion: Theory, methods, research (pp. 68–91). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
52.
RudolfF. (1998). L'environnement une construction sociale. Pratiques et discours sur l'environnement en France et en Allemagne [The environment a social construction. Practices and discourse about the environment in France and Germany]. Strasbourg, France: Presses Universitaires de Strasbourg.
53.
SchererK. R. (2001). Appraisal considered as a process of multi-level sequential checking. In SchererK. R., SchorrA., & JohnstoneT. (Eds.) Appraisal processes in emotion: Theory, methods, research (pp. 92–120). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
54.
SchwartzS. H. (1977). Normative influence on altruism. In BerkowitzL. (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 10, pp. 221–279). New York, NY: Academic Press
55.
ShaverP., SchwartzJ., KirsonD., & O'ConnorC. (1987). Emotion knowledge: Further exploration of a prototype approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 1061–1086.
56.
SmithH., CroninT., & KesslerT. (2008). Anger, fear, or sadness: Faculty members' emotional reactions to collective pay disadvantage. Political Psychology, 29, 221–246.
57.
StegL., & VlekC. (2009). Encouraging pro-environmental behaviour: An integrative review and research agenda. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 29, 309–317.
58.
SwimJ., & BeckerJ. (2012). Country contexts and individuals' climate change mitigating behaviors: A comparison of U.S. versus German individuals' efforts to reduce energy use. Journal of Social Issues, 68, 571–591.
59.
WagnerW., HansenK., & KronbergerN. (2014). Qualitative and quantitative research across cultures and languages: Cultural metrics and their application. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 48, 418–434.
60.
WagnerW., & YamoriK. (1999). Can culture be a variable? Dispositional explanation and cultural metrics. In SugimanT., KarasawaM., LiuJ. H., & WardC. (Eds.), Progress in Asian social psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 33–55). Seoul, Korea: Kyoyook-Kwahak-Sa Publishers
61.
WakslakC., JostJ., TylerT., & ChenE. (2007). Moral outrage mediates the dampening effect of system justification on support for redistributive social policies. Psychological Science, 18, 267–274.
62.
WohlM., BranscombeN., & KlarY. (2006). Collective guilt: Emotional reactions when one's group has done wrong or been wronged. European Review of Social Psychology, 17, 1–37.
