Young Adults’ Willingness to Engage in Climate Change Activism: An Application of the Theory of Normative Social Behavior

Andrea Martinez Gonzalez; Tobias Reynolds-Tylus; Christofer Skurka

doi:10.1080/17524032.2021.2011368

Young Adults’ Willingness to Engage in Climate Change Activism: An Application of the Theory of Normative Social Behavior

Andrea Martinez Gonzalez, Tobias Reynolds-Tylus, Christofer Skurka

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Guided by the theory of normative social behavior (TNSB), the current survey examined factors associated with climate change activism in a young adult population (N = 627). Consistent with the TNSB, young adults showed greater intention to engage in consumer and conventional climate change activism if they viewed it to be common (descriptive norm) and accepted (injunctive norm) among their peers, if they perceived positive benefits of activism (outcome expectations), and if they identified as a climate activist (ego involvement). Results supported the TNSB’s proposed interaction between descriptive norm and similarity for both types of activism. Theoretical implications for the TNSB and practical implications for promoting climate change activism among young adults are discussed.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	388-407
Number of pages	20
Journal	Environmental Communication
Volume	16
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2021.2011368
State	Published - 2022

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Environmental Science (miscellaneous)
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1080/17524032.2021.2011368

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title = "Young Adults{\textquoteright} Willingness to Engage in Climate Change Activism: An Application of the Theory of Normative Social Behavior",

abstract = "Guided by the theory of normative social behavior (TNSB), the current survey examined factors associated with climate change activism in a young adult population (N = 627). Consistent with the TNSB, young adults showed greater intention to engage in consumer and conventional climate change activism if they viewed it to be common (descriptive norm) and accepted (injunctive norm) among their peers, if they perceived positive benefits of activism (outcome expectations), and if they identified as a climate activist (ego involvement). Results supported the TNSB{\textquoteright}s proposed interaction between descriptive norm and similarity for both types of activism. Theoretical implications for the TNSB and practical implications for promoting climate change activism among young adults are discussed.",

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AB - Guided by the theory of normative social behavior (TNSB), the current survey examined factors associated with climate change activism in a young adult population (N = 627). Consistent with the TNSB, young adults showed greater intention to engage in consumer and conventional climate change activism if they viewed it to be common (descriptive norm) and accepted (injunctive norm) among their peers, if they perceived positive benefits of activism (outcome expectations), and if they identified as a climate activist (ego involvement). Results supported the TNSB’s proposed interaction between descriptive norm and similarity for both types of activism. Theoretical implications for the TNSB and practical implications for promoting climate change activism among young adults are discussed.

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Young Adults’ Willingness to Engage in Climate Change Activism: An Application of the Theory of Normative Social Behavior

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

UN SDGs

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