The effect of values on carbon footprint and attitudes towards pro-environmental behavior

Values are a key determinant of pro-environmental behavior, but we argue that environmental lifestyle is not determined only by primary values, but rather, a combination of a primary and secondary value, which we call value-pairs. In this study we find three different types of value-pairs, each with different kinds of carbon footprints and willingness to take pro-environmental action. The value-pairs show that bioshperic values, when a primary or secondary value, are a strong determinant of a low-carbon lifestyle and even as a secondary value can override primary hedonic values. We also find that altruistic values only result in low-carbon lifestyles when paired with biospheric values, but not when paired with hedonic values. The significance of the findings is discussed in relation to previous research, the goal-framing theory and the spillover effect. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.