The Environment–Behaviour Link: Challenges for Policy Makers

Environmental problems at its roots are behavioural in nature. Researchers have become increasingly aware that individual behaviour can ameliorate or exacerbate environmental problems. This chapter explores the intricate interrelationships between humans and their environments. It investigates the impact of environment on human behaviour and also the impact of human behaviour on the environment. An attempt is made to identify the correlates of environmentally responsible behaviour. The chapter also focuses on the way in which people think about environmental issues, their concern for environmental problems and the relationship between environmental attitude and pro-environmental behaviour. Against this backdrop, the chapter enumerates policy implications of research carried out by psychologists and also discusses the gaps in research that need to be filled up for giving direction to social policy in this area.