Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behavior

This article develops a conceptual framework for advancing theories of envi ronmentally significant individual behavior and reports on the attempts of the author's research group and others to develop such a theory. It discuss es definitions of environmentally significant behavior; classifies the beha viors and their causes; assesses theories of environmentalism, focusing esp ecially? on value-belief-norm theory: evaluates the relationship between en vironmental concern and behavior; and summarizes evidence on the factors th at determine environmentally? significant behaviors and that carl effective ? alter them. The article concludes by presenting some major propositions s upported by available research and some principles for guiding future resea rch and informing the design of behavioral programs for environmental prote ction,