Promoting adolescents' pro-environmental behavior: A motive-alignment approach

Most adolescents are concerned about climate change. What helps them to act on their concerns? This preregistered randomized experiment tested whether adolescents' pro-environmental behavior can be promoted by framing the behavior as compatible with their autonomy motive. Dutch adolescents (N = 319, ages 12–17, 57.7% girls, predominantly indicating “Dutch” or “bicultural” identities) viewed a campaign-style video that explained the causes of climate change (all conditions), and additionally framed pro-environmental behavior as a personal choice (volition-alignment), opportunity to rebel (rebellion-alignment), or mandatory (misalignment). Rebellion-alignment increased pro-environmental behavior intentions and petitioning behavior; misalignment decreased pro-environmental donating behavior. Effect sizes were small to medium. These findings provide proof of concept that motive alignment can be effective in promoting adolescents' pro-environmental engagement.