Does Committing to Green Goals Always Lead to Impactful Action? An Identity‐Goal Perspective

StatusVoR
Dublin Core metadata
Alternative title
Authors
Byrka, Katarzyna
Sciara, Simona
Doerflinger, Johannes T.
Gollwitzer, Peter M.
Monograph
Monograph (alternative title)
Date
2026-08
Publisher
Journal title
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
Issue
1
Volume
1562
Pages
Pages
1-11
DOI
ISSN
0077-8923
ISSN of series
Weblink
https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nyas.70363
Access date
2026-08
Abstract PL
Abstract EN
Many people see caring for the environment as part of who they are and what they believe is morally right. Yet even when protecting nature is valued, consistently acting in environmentally friendly ways in everyday life can be difficult. In this paper, we adopt an identity-goal perspective and discuss why people who set green goals and feel environmentally responsible may choose quick and easy actions that signal concern but have limited real impact. Committing to the identity goal of being a green person might be the best route to success. However, there may also be potential downsides. When people feel they have already done enough to see themselves as environmentally responsible, they may stop putting in further effort—a pattern often called “slacktivism.” At the same time, people who feel they have not done enough may look for quick and easy actions that make them feel better, rather than taking more effective steps that require time and effort. This is problematic because environmental protection requires sustained effortful action over time. We will therefore discuss potentially effective self-regulation strategies that help to overcome these problems.
Abstract other
Keywords PL
Keywords EN
environmentalism
moral identity goals
online activism
self-completion theory
slacktivism
Keywords other
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities ,
SDG 12. Responsible Consumption and Production
Exhibition title
Place of exhibition (institution)
Exhibition curator
URI
https://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/2641
Type
License type
cc-by
Except as otherwise noted, this item is licensed under the Attribution licence | Permitted use of copyrighted works
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Related publication
Related publication
Grant/project name
Dążenie do autodefiniujących celów a poddawanie się i uleganie pokusom
Grant number
2018/30/E/HS6/00465
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Does Committing to Green Goals Always Lead to Impactful Action?.pdf(362.51 KB)
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