Intrinsic Motives of Autonomy, Self-Efficacy, and Satisfaction Associated with Two Instances of Sustainable Behavior: Frugality and Equity

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between sustainable behavior, indicated by frugal and equitable actions, and three intrinsic motives: satisfaction, autonomy and self-efficacy. One-hundred and seventy-three undergraduates at a Mexican university responded to a questionnaire investigating their sustainable actions and the intrinsic repercussions derived from those actions. Using structural equations, a model is specified and tested, which reveals the presence of a higher-order factor (sustainable behavior) subjacent to a high and significant covariance between frugal and equitable behaviors. The resulting higher-order-factor, in turn, significantly predicts the report of feelings of satisfaction, autonomy, and self-efficacy. These findings are in line with the idea that sustainable behavior is to a good extent self-determined through the operation of intrinsic consequences, which instigate people’s pro-social and pro-environmental actions.