Identity and Sustainability: Localized Sense of Community Increases Environmental Engagement
Declaration of Conflict of Interest: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interests with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.
Financial disclosure/funding: The authors disclosed receipt of financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article: The Jepson School of Leadership Studies, the Corella & Betram F. Bonner Center for Civic Engagement, and the National Science Foundation (#9874924).
Acknowledgments or Author Notes: The authors thank the members of the Upham Brook Watershed Group (Diane Dunaway, Gregory Garman, Mort Gulak, Neil Henry, Paddy Katzen, Jennifer Meredith, Joe Mitchel, John Moeser, Susan Ridout, Bob Rugg, Len Smock, Gary Sperian, and Lucy Wysong) for their many contributions to this research.
Abstract
Drawing on social, community, and place identity theories, we predicted that individuals whose identities are based, at least in part, on the place where they reside would be more likely to engage in environmentally responsible behaviors, or ERBs. Study 1 tested this hypothesis by assessing residents’ localized community identification and their willingness to take steps to protect and enhance local streams and waterways. Study 2 experimentally manipulated residents’ sense of community. Both studies confirmed that (a) increases in one's sense of community were associated with increases in willingness to protect water resources and (b) pro-environment behavioral intentions were stronger when identity was more localized (neighborhood-based rather than regionally based). These findings support a nested conception of placed-based community identity, which could inform strategies to encourage pro-environmental water conservation and resource management.
