Influence of Air Quality on Pro-environmental Behavior of Chinese Residents: From the Perspective of Spatial Distance

• Main Authors: Guanghua Sheng, Jiatong Dai, Hong Pan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2020-09-01
• Series: Frontiers in Psychology
• Subjects: air quality; spatial distance; environmental affection; pro-environmental behavior; Chinese residents
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.566046/full

Although environmental issues have attracted public attention, there are still many people unwilling to make behavioral changes to solve the problem, which makes promoting pro-environmental behavior become an interesting research topic. This study discusses the influence of air quality on the pro-environmental behavior of Chinese residents from the perspective of spatial distance, providing a theoretical basis and practical application for improving pro-environmental behavior. Through three experiments, this study reveals that air pollution within the local spatial distance could make residents more willing to conduct pro-environmental behavior. In addition, we also find that air pollution within local spatial distance would stimulate residents’ environmental affection and promote them to conduct pro-environmental behavior. That is, environmental affection plays a mediating role in the interactive effect of air quality and spatial distance on pro-environmental behavior.