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Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 36370

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Prof. Dr. Annamaria Di Fabio

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Department of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology (Psychology Section), University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy
Interests: work and organizational psychology; healthy organizations; healthy workers and healthy business; well-being; psychology of personality and individual differences; decent work/decent lives; career management; career development; career counseling; psychology of sustainability and sustainable development; strength-based prevention perspectives
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Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Scaratti

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Full Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
Interests: work and organizational psychology; healthy organizations

Prof. Dr. Luciano Gamberini

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Full Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
Interests: work and organizational psychology; healthy organizations

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Santisi

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Section Psychology, Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
Interests: organizational behavior; human resources development; organizational well-being; economic and consumer psychology

Prof. Dr. Dina Guglielmi

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Full Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Interests: job related stress; psychosocial risk factors; occupational health; career development; competences development and evaluations
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The current research area of the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development (Di Fabio and Rosen, 2018) is a relevant contribution to sustainability science (Dincer and Rosen, 2013; Rosen, 2009, 2017a), recognizing the importance of including a psychological approach to enhancing processes connected to sustainability and sustainable development. Progress in the domain of the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development is open for future years, with promising directions to follow for improving research in this field.

Internal psychological processes implicated in decision making and behaviors, as well as in relation to external processes, deserve to be studied in depth, considering processes within individual(s), within environment(s), between individual(s), between environment(s), between individual(s) and environment(s), between living being(s) and the natural world/universe, from the past, in the present, and into the future (Di Fabio and Rosen, 2018, 2022).

A complex approach and a positive narrative perspective could also be proposed for facing the challenging issues of sustainability and sustainable development, integrating the previous approach. Furthermore, taking care of the well-being and quality of life psychologically defined for the environment(s), including the natural environment, as well as the environment for individual(s), community(ies), and organization(s) in the environment(s) is an important challenge (Di Fabio and Rosen, 2018; 2022). The current research area of the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development presents its peculiarity in facing the principal and challenging issues of this area, considering the need to also integrate a positive and preventive approach.

The psychology of sustainability and sustainable development could thus be considered as a critical current research and intervention area in sustainability and sustainable development science, accounting for the value of psychological processes in promoting and establishing a culture of sustainability and sustainable development.

This Special Issue is focused on the contribution that the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development can provide to current topics in sustainability and sustainable development, with a focus on positive and preventive perspectives to advance research and intervention in the 21^st century. The aim of this Special Issue is then to offer a space for research articles interested in proposing and examining the different opportunities that the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development offer to sustainability science for moving toward sustainable development today and in the future.

Prof. Dr. Annamaria Di Fabio
Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Scaratti
Prof. Dr. Luciano Gamberini
Dr. Giuseppe Santisi
Prof. Dr. Dina Guglielmi
Guest Editors

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Keywords

psychology of sustainability
psychology of sustainable development
positive approach to the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development
preventive approach to the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development
natural environment in the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development
personal environment in the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development
social environment in the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development
organizational environment in the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development
culture of sustainability and sustainable development in a psychological approach

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 992 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Is This Right for You?: The Key Role of Shop Assistants in Promoting Energy-Efficient Household Appliances

by Gabriella Francesca Amalia Pernice, Valeria Orso and Luciano Gamberini

Sustainability 2023, 15(24), 16630; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152416630 - 7 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1313

Abstract

In 2021, a significant update was made to the household appliance classification system in Europe with the introduction of a new energy-efficient label (EE). This update is a step towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 7 of the United Nations, which focuses on sustainable energy. The EE label is an effective tool for reducing overall energy consumption. However, its success relies on the awareness and decision making of consumers when making purchases. During the purchase phase, shop assistants have the potential to play a crucial role in promoting energy-efficient choices. Surprisingly, this aspect has been largely overlooked in previous research. In an attempt to fill this gap, we conducted an exploratory study employing a mixed-method approach, encompassing 22 in-depth interviews and questionnaires administered to shop assistants from various appliance stores. Our findings revealed that shop assistants face challenges in promoting energy-efficient choices, particularly after the introduction of the new EE label, due to a lack of training. This may result in incorrect advice that could impact consumer purchases and their daily energy consumption. Our study emphasises the need to support shop assistants in promoting energy-efficient purchases, to enhance their training, and to incorporate tools such as augmented reality to foster energy-efficient-orientated purchases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area)

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13 pages, 636 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“I Feel Good, I Am a Part of the Community”: Social Responsibility Values and Prosocial Behaviors during Adolescence, and Their Effects on Well-Being

by Maria Giuseppina Bartolo, Anna Lisa Palermiti, Rocco Servidio and Angela Costabile

Sustainability 2023, 15(23), 16207; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316207 - 22 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2514

Abstract

Developing social responsibility values and a sense of community during adolescence is an important step that leads to prosocial behaviors toward others and feeling good about oneself and fellow community members. In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, sustainability is considered in a broader perspective as aimed at the development of human society, improving individual well-being and the quality of life for individuals and communities. In this sense, from a psychology of sustainability perspective, it is important to better understand the meaning of the connections between individual development and communities and the complexity of their relationships. The present study investigates the relationship between social responsibility values and well-being during adolescence, in a sample of 1925 students aged 14 to 20 years, also examining the mediating role of the sense of community and prosocial behaviors. Our mediational analysis suggests that the relation between social responsibility values and well-being is fully mediated by the sense of community and prosocial behaviors. Moreover, the sense of community has a direct effect on prosocial behaviors. This study, thus, provides new evidence and enlarges the wider sustainability science of how values and social participation enhance well-being. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area)

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23 pages, 1740 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Tale of Two Identities: The Value, Attitude, and Behavior of Adult Children towards Family Tourism Experiences

by Anan Hu, Houqi Li and Jinyuan Pang

Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14364; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914364 - 29 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1693

Abstract

Adult children accompanying their parents on trips is a particular form of family tourism. During family travel, adult children assume two roles: as tourists, they pursue personal hedonic experiences, while as children, they also bear the responsibility of showing filial piety towards their parents. These two roles entail inherent contradictions. How this conflict influences the formation of family tourism values between adult children and their parents, and ultimately impacts adult children’s intention to accompany their parents on future trips (re-travel intention), requires further in-depth analysis. Based on the perspective of tourist-to-tourist interaction and role conflict theory, this study applied a “value–attitude–behavior” model to empirically analyze the relationship between the interactions of adult children and parents during the tourism and their re-travel intention. An empirical investigation was conducted with 566 adult children from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. The result of the structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis indicates that both positive interactions and role conflict have significant impacts on the formation of family tourism values, and these impacts are moderated by self-efficacy. Furthermore, these two variables influence attitude through the values of filial piety and family connection, which, in turn, affect the re-travel intentions of adult children. This study confirmed that the higher the self-efficacy of adult children, the better effect the positive interaction has and the less impact the role conflict has, which ultimately affects adult children’s re-travel intention. At the theoretical level, this study reveals the process of the formation of “adult children–parents” family tourism values, and provides practical insights for family tourism marketing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area)

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18 pages, 1623 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conservation Officers’ Perceptions of Their Working Conditions and Their Enforcement of Environmental Law in a Territory of High Environmental Protection

by Ana M. Martín, Christian Rosales and Bernardo Hernández

Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 13014; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713014 - 29 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1346

Abstract

Environmental protection laws are useful tools for promoting sustainability by eradicating anti-environmental behavior while encouraging alternative sustainable behaviors. However, the achievement of these goals relies on the psychosocial processes underlying the behaviors of the people in charge of the enforcement of these laws. Conservation officers play a central role in the enforcement of these laws, but their intervention behavior has not been assessed in relation to their perceptions of their working conditions. To fill this gap, a questionnaire was developed and administered to 128 conservation officers from four public authorities responsible for enforcing environmental law in a territory with a high level of legal environmental protection. The main results show that the participants have similarities and differences with conservation officers from other territories in their perception of their working conditions. Likewise, it was found that self-efficacy and satisfaction influence their intervention behavior, both directly and through their goals. The role of descriptive social norms as well as the relation of collective efficacy and self-efficacy and satisfaction were also revealed. Policy implications of these findings involve the need to improve communication between prosecutors, judges and conservation officers, as well as the enhancement of conservation officers’ collective efficacy, self-efficacy and skills used to educate people in avoiding damaging the environment and collaborating in its protection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area)

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12 pages, 707 KiB

Open AccessArticle

by Wenxia Zhou, Xinling Jiang, Svetlana N. Khapova and Jinzhao Qu

Sustainability 2023, 15(15), 11969; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511969 - 3 Aug 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2335

Abstract

While there is a growing interest in career shocks in the careers literature, little is known about how and when they trigger employees’ proactive behavioral responses leading to sustainable career outcomes. The research aims to extend previous knowledge about the effects of such career shocks and uncover their potential benefits. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, the study proposes that workplace-related negative career shocks indirectly impact employees’ perceived employability by mobilizing their networking behaviors, especially when perceived career opportunities are present. To investigate this, a three-wave survey was conducted among 269 employees over four months in three companies in China. The results show that workplace-related negative career shocks indirectly contribute to employees’ perceived employability by motivating them to engage in networking behaviors. Furthermore, this positive indirect relationship is stronger for employees with high perceived career opportunities. This study is the first to provide a positive perspective on the outcomes of workplace-related negative career shocks and sheds light on employees’ proactive behavioral responses as a mechanism to explain the impact of such shocks on career sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area)

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23 pages, 19653 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Positive or Negative Viewpoint Determines the Overall Scenic Beauty of a Scene: A Landscape Perception Evaluation Based on a Panoramic View

by Yue Chen, Qikang Zhong and Bo Li

Sustainability 2023, 15(14), 11458; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411458 - 24 Jul 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2191

Abstract

In the contemporary world, the swift advancement of urbanization, the pressing need for environmental conservation, and humanity’s unyielding quest for a better quality of life have jointly underscored the escalating importance of research on landscape aesthetics and perceptual experiences. Researchers have often evaluated the overall scene’s beauty based on photos taken from a single viewpoint. However, it has been observed that different viewpoints of the same scene can lead to varying degrees of beauty perception. Some positive viewpoints highlight landscape features that contribute to beauty preferences, while negative viewpoints emphasize aspects that may evoke discomfort and decrease perceived beauty. Therefore, a crucial question arises: which viewpoint, positive or negative, holds more influence over the overall beauty of the scene? This paper aimed to address this question by utilizing panoramic map technology to establish a landscape perception evaluation model. The model was based on empirical evidence from various spatial scenes along the Yaozijian Ancient Road in Anhua County, encompassing towns and villages. The study analyzed the functional relationship between landscape factors, positive and negative viewpoints, and the degree of scenic beauty. It was found that (1) it is difficult to reflect the overall scenic beauty of a scene (OSBS) of a single viewpoint photo, and both positive and negative viewpoints of scenic beauty have significant effects on the OSBS. In the empirical case study, it was found that the overall effect of a positive viewpoint of scenic beauty (PVSB) on OSBS was greater; (2) PVSB had a major effect on OSBS with a high visual hierarchy and cloud ratio and a low type of vegetation and proportion of man-made objects; (3) a negative viewpoint of scenic beauty (NVSB) had a major effect on OSBS with a low visual hierarchy of the landscape. The results of the study reveal the relationship between landscape factors of different viewpoints and the OSBS, which can be applied to landscape beauty evaluation and landscape planning and design processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area)

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14 pages, 504 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing Attitudes to Promote Sustainability: The Adaptation of the Environmental Concern Scale (ECs) to the Italian Context

by Andrea Zammitti, Giuseppe Santisi, Paola Magnano and Santo Di Nuovo

Sustainability 2023, 15(14), 10871; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151410871 - 11 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2280

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Environmental Concern scale (ECs) in the Italian context. Three studies were conducted. In Study 1, we carried out an exploratory factor analysis and a 2-factor solution-biospheric concern and egoistic concern—was confirmed. In Study 2, we tested the structure of the eight-items version of the ECs, using confirmatory factor analysis. The 2-factor structure was the best factorial solution. In this study we correlated the dimensions of ECs with life satisfaction and climate change worry. As expected, biospheric concern was significantly related to climate change worry, and egoistic concern was significantly related to life satisfaction. In Study 3, we tested the gender invariance. The ECs structure was the same for men and women. These studies demonstrate that the ECs possess good construct validity, factor structure, and invariance between genders. The measure can be used in the Italian context for future research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area)

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13 pages, 563 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Mental Health Leadership on Teamwork in Healthcare Organizations: A Serial Mediation Study

by Giulia Paganin, Marco De Angelis, Edoardo Pische, Francesco Saverio Violante, Dina Guglielmi and Luca Pietrantoni

Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7337; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097337 - 28 Apr 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 8614

Abstract

Background: There is compelling evidence to suggest that leadership behaviour and teamwork are critical success factors in healthcare organisations facing increasingly complex demands and limited resources. Effective teamwork is essential to deliver high-quality care, requiring integrating different professionals in the healthcare sector. Leaders play a significant role in facilitating teamwork by managing conflicts and promoting cooperation among team members. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the importance of leadership in supporting the mental health and well-being of team members. Methods: A cross-lagged research design was used to examine the relationship between mental health-specific (MHS) leadership and teamwork. Participants were 118 healthcare professionals (76.3% female; 44.9% aged between 45 and 54 years old). Results: A serial mediation model was confirmed, showing an indirect effect of mental health leadership on teamwork through interpersonal conflict and cooperation. Conclusions: Effective (MHS) leadership can positively impact the teamwork of healthcare professionals, particularly during times of crisis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area)

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37 pages, 2149 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Factors Influencing Public Risk Perception of Emerging Technologies: A Meta-Analysis

by Chong Li and Yingqi Li

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 3939; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15053939 - 21 Feb 2023

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 7298

Abstract

The development and application of emerging technologies pose many social risks, which raise public concerns. Various factors influence the public risk perception of emerging technologies, and a systematic and accurate understanding of these factors plays a vital role in promoting the sustainable development of emerging technologies. Considerable inconsistency and ambiguity exist in the influence of relevant factors on the public risk perception of emerging technologies in existing studies, which need to be explored systematically and comprehensively through meta-analysis. This study constructs an analytical framework of “technology–psychology–society” and conducts a meta-analysis of 272 papers, including 449 correlations and 191,195 samples. The results show that perceived benefit, knowledge, innovativeness, trust, and social influence have significant negative effects on risk perception. Perceived cost has a significant positive effect on risk perception. Gender and cultural dimensions of power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism–collectivism, and masculinity–femininity have moderating effects on the relationship between relevant factors and risk perception; the type of emerging technology, age, and the cultural dimension of long-term/short-term orientation do not have moderating effects. Based on the above findings, this study proposes corresponding suggestions from the perspectives of R&D, application, and management of emerging technologies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area)

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Review

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15 pages, 1031 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Online Assessment Tools of the MenPas 1.0 Platform, a Reliable and Sustainable Alternative for Psychosocial Research: A Literature Review

by Nuria Pérez-Romero, Verónica Morales-Sánchez, José L. Pastrana-Brincones, Carolina Sánchez-García, Antonio Hernández-Mendo, Coral Falcó and Rafael Enrique Reigal

Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 15908; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152215908 - 14 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1926

Abstract

New technologies have improved the efficiency and sustainability of psychosocial research. However, online assessment tools may differ from traditional paper-based ones in different domains. This study aims to provide an updated perspective of the online assessment advantages of a psychosocial platform called MenPas 1.0. A literature review was conducted, choosing validated questionnaire studies located in the MenPas 1.0 platform, specifically, motivation and hypnosis questionnaires. A total of five studies showing the psychometric properties of psychosocial evaluation tools were analysed and compared with their previous paper-based studies. In addition, internet impact over the last 20 years was analysed according to gender, age, nationality, and employment status. Finally, a conclusion was drawn on the impact of these tools on sustainability. The results showed that online studies have a higher number of participants (5866 users in 5 studies versus 5623 participants in 11 studies) and higher reliability rates than those of previous paper-based ones. A decrease in the social gap over the years was also found and the contribution of online tools to sustainability was discussed. This study could show the importance of the analysis of psychometric properties in online tools, the need for further research, and encourage their use in psychosocial assessment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area)

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15 pages, 1976 KiB

Open AccessReview

Towards a “Positive Landscape”: An Integrated Theoretical Model of Landscape Preference Based on Cognitive Neuroscience

by Lu Yan, Daniel Winterbottom and Juanjuan Liu

Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 6141; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15076141 - 3 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3223

Abstract

Landscape preference (LP) is often a critical interdisciplinary research topic that explores the interaction between human beings and their environments. Human preferences for landscape can have a profound influence on how the preservation, reconstruction, and restoration of the landscape is approached, both consciously and unconsciously. Theories of LP emerged in the 1960s and can be divided into three need categories: (1) the need for survival, (2) the need for affection, and (3) the need for cognition. However, these theories lack a unifying framework. The hypothesis presented herein is that LPs are derived from innate human needs. Based on cognitive neuroscience, positive psychology, and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, an integrated theoretical model explaining the neural basis and mental processes that inform LPs is developed. The concept of “positive landscape” and the argument that landscape change could be a potential tool for regulating human LPs are proposed. Two regulatory strategies used to actively manipulate LPs in a way that benefits both the ecosystem and human wellbeing are described in this study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area)

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