Nature connectedness and other transformative qualities associated with pro-environmental attitudes, behaviors, and engagement across scales: the direction of compassion matters
Abstract Non-technical summary This study addresses the challenge of climate change by exploring how psychological qualities and meditation practices may influence pro-environmental behavior among decision-makers, by surveying 185 participants. The research found that meditation practices and compas...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Global Sustainability |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2059479825000158/type/journal_article |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849769238177251328 |
|---|---|
| author | Cecilia U. D. Stenfors Walter Osika Luis Mundaca Silke Ruprecht Lena Ramstetter Christine Wamsler |
| author_facet | Cecilia U. D. Stenfors Walter Osika Luis Mundaca Silke Ruprecht Lena Ramstetter Christine Wamsler |
| author_sort | Cecilia U. D. Stenfors |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract
Non-technical summary
This study addresses the challenge of climate change by exploring how psychological qualities and meditation practices may influence pro-environmental behavior among decision-makers, by surveying 185 participants. The research found that meditation practices and compassion toward others are linked to more pro-environmental actions. Nature connectedness emerged as a key factor related to enhanced mindfulness, compassion toward others and self, and environmental efforts. Additionally, pro-environmental efforts at work were related to more engagement across the organization, including management. These findings highlight the potential of integrating personal growth practices into sustainability promoting strategies, suggesting that fostering compassion and mindfulness may support pro-environmental action.
Technical summary
Current policy approaches addressing climate change have been insufficient. Integrative approaches linking inner and outer factors of behavior change, both at the private and organizational level, have been called for. The aim of the present study was thus to conceptualize and test a model of interlinkages between trainable transformative psychological qualities, meditation practice, wellbeing, stress, and pro-environmental behaviors in the private and organizational context, among decision-makers (N = 185) who responded to a survey of self-completion measures covering the topics above. Results show that meditation practices and longer practice duration were associated with more pro-environmental behavior, mindfulness facets, and wellbeing. Mindfulness facets and self-compassion were associated with higher wellbeing and lower stress, but not pro-environmental behavior. Importantly, higher compassion toward others was associated with more pro-environmental behavior but was not associated with own wellbeing and stress. Greater nature connectedness was associated with more pro-environmental behavior in private- and work life, mindfulness facets, compassion toward others, self-compassion, and longer meditation duration. Furthermore, at work, personal pro-environmental efforts were associated with such efforts by others in the organization, including management, and such efforts were also associated with overall integration of sustainability work in the organization. The results can help guide future interventions.
Social media summary
Nature connectedness, compassion toward others, and meditation related to private and work life pro-environmental behaviors.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e6f0b315ba6e4e69a0de66cd63e573ac |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2059-4798 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Sustainability |
| spelling | doaj-art-e6f0b315ba6e4e69a0de66cd63e573ac2025-08-20T03:03:29ZengCambridge University PressGlobal Sustainability2059-47982025-01-01810.1017/sus.2025.15Nature connectedness and other transformative qualities associated with pro-environmental attitudes, behaviors, and engagement across scales: the direction of compassion mattersCecilia U. D. Stenfors0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8411-0666Walter Osika1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1583-7319Luis Mundaca2Silke Ruprecht3Lena Ramstetter4Christine Wamsler5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4511-1532Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Neurobiology, Care science and Society, Centre for Social Sustainability, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm Health Care Services, Southern Stockholm Psychiatry District, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, SwedenInternational Institute of Industrial Environmental Economics, Lund, SwedenInstitute of Psychology, Leuphana University, Lüneburg, GermanyDepartment of Political Science and Sociology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, AustriaLund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, Lund, SwedenAbstract Non-technical summary This study addresses the challenge of climate change by exploring how psychological qualities and meditation practices may influence pro-environmental behavior among decision-makers, by surveying 185 participants. The research found that meditation practices and compassion toward others are linked to more pro-environmental actions. Nature connectedness emerged as a key factor related to enhanced mindfulness, compassion toward others and self, and environmental efforts. Additionally, pro-environmental efforts at work were related to more engagement across the organization, including management. These findings highlight the potential of integrating personal growth practices into sustainability promoting strategies, suggesting that fostering compassion and mindfulness may support pro-environmental action. Technical summary Current policy approaches addressing climate change have been insufficient. Integrative approaches linking inner and outer factors of behavior change, both at the private and organizational level, have been called for. The aim of the present study was thus to conceptualize and test a model of interlinkages between trainable transformative psychological qualities, meditation practice, wellbeing, stress, and pro-environmental behaviors in the private and organizational context, among decision-makers (N = 185) who responded to a survey of self-completion measures covering the topics above. Results show that meditation practices and longer practice duration were associated with more pro-environmental behavior, mindfulness facets, and wellbeing. Mindfulness facets and self-compassion were associated with higher wellbeing and lower stress, but not pro-environmental behavior. Importantly, higher compassion toward others was associated with more pro-environmental behavior but was not associated with own wellbeing and stress. Greater nature connectedness was associated with more pro-environmental behavior in private- and work life, mindfulness facets, compassion toward others, self-compassion, and longer meditation duration. Furthermore, at work, personal pro-environmental efforts were associated with such efforts by others in the organization, including management, and such efforts were also associated with overall integration of sustainability work in the organization. The results can help guide future interventions. Social media summary Nature connectedness, compassion toward others, and meditation related to private and work life pro-environmental behaviors. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2059479825000158/type/journal_articleclimate change mitigationinner development goalsmeditationnature connectednessother-directed compassionpro-environmental behaviorsustainability |
| spellingShingle | Cecilia U. D. Stenfors Walter Osika Luis Mundaca Silke Ruprecht Lena Ramstetter Christine Wamsler Nature connectedness and other transformative qualities associated with pro-environmental attitudes, behaviors, and engagement across scales: the direction of compassion matters Global Sustainability climate change mitigation inner development goals meditation nature connectedness other-directed compassion pro-environmental behavior sustainability |
| title | Nature connectedness and other transformative qualities associated with pro-environmental attitudes, behaviors, and engagement across scales: the direction of compassion matters |
| title_full | Nature connectedness and other transformative qualities associated with pro-environmental attitudes, behaviors, and engagement across scales: the direction of compassion matters |
| title_fullStr | Nature connectedness and other transformative qualities associated with pro-environmental attitudes, behaviors, and engagement across scales: the direction of compassion matters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nature connectedness and other transformative qualities associated with pro-environmental attitudes, behaviors, and engagement across scales: the direction of compassion matters |
| title_short | Nature connectedness and other transformative qualities associated with pro-environmental attitudes, behaviors, and engagement across scales: the direction of compassion matters |
| title_sort | nature connectedness and other transformative qualities associated with pro environmental attitudes behaviors and engagement across scales the direction of compassion matters |
| topic | climate change mitigation inner development goals meditation nature connectedness other-directed compassion pro-environmental behavior sustainability |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2059479825000158/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ceciliaudstenfors natureconnectednessandothertransformativequalitiesassociatedwithproenvironmentalattitudesbehaviorsandengagementacrossscalesthedirectionofcompassionmatters AT walterosika natureconnectednessandothertransformativequalitiesassociatedwithproenvironmentalattitudesbehaviorsandengagementacrossscalesthedirectionofcompassionmatters AT luismundaca natureconnectednessandothertransformativequalitiesassociatedwithproenvironmentalattitudesbehaviorsandengagementacrossscalesthedirectionofcompassionmatters AT silkeruprecht natureconnectednessandothertransformativequalitiesassociatedwithproenvironmentalattitudesbehaviorsandengagementacrossscalesthedirectionofcompassionmatters AT lenaramstetter natureconnectednessandothertransformativequalitiesassociatedwithproenvironmentalattitudesbehaviorsandengagementacrossscalesthedirectionofcompassionmatters AT christinewamsler natureconnectednessandothertransformativequalitiesassociatedwithproenvironmentalattitudesbehaviorsandengagementacrossscalesthedirectionofcompassionmatters |