Who Is More Likely to Influence Others? A Value-Based Approach to Pro-Environmental Social Influence Behavior

When correlated to a broad range of pro-environmental behaviors, biospheric values typically have a positive correlation while egoistic values typically have a negative correlation. However, people who strongly endorse egoistic values might undertake pro-environmental behavior involving attempts to influence others. This article describes a study that assessed the relationship between values and the likelihood of students to attempt to influence their housemates in engaging in pro-environmental behavior. To measure this type of influence behavior, the authors developed the Environmental Social Influence Behavior questionnaire, which was then used with 193 students for this study. Both biospheric and egoistic values correlated with influence behaviors. Biospheric values more strongly related to the likelihood of social-influence actions as egoistic values decreased, except when egoistic values were high. The results are included in a discussion about the connections between values and social-influence behaviors, and current knowledge of the role of egoistic values in environmental actions.