Eco-anxiety and pro-environmental behaviors in college students

Abstract

Climate psychology is an emerging field that studies the impacts that climate change has on mental health. Eco-anxiety, a term used to describe anxiety about climate change and environmental destruction, is of growing concern because of its potential negative effects on pro-environmental behavior. Young people are particularly vulnerable to the effects of eco-anxiety, studies have shown. This study utilizes survey methods to examine relationships between eco-anxiety, pro-environmental behaviors, generalized anxiety, and a variety of demographic factors among the undergraduate population at Middle Tennessee State University. Our hypothesis was that those with low eco-anxiety will engage in fewer pro-environmental behaviors than the moderate and high eco-anxiety groups, but due to the potential paralyzing effects of eco-anxiety, the moderate group will engage in more pro-environmental behaviors than the high eco-anxiety group. Our results showed that eco-anxiety has a significant positive relationship with pro-environmental behaviors as well as gender.