A Study On Group-based Emotions And Behavior Intentions Over Air Pollution

In order to study environmental behavior related to air pollution problems, and understand the influence of group members’past behavior on individuals’current group identity, emotions and future pro-environmental behavior intentions, questionnaires and experimental methods were used to investigate the relationship among environmental responsibility, group identity, group-based emotions and group pro-environmental behavior intentions. Firstly, after two questionnaire surveys of the sample of participants respective as 127 and 330, Group Pro-environmental Behavior Intentions Scale was revised. After that,435 university students participated in study 2 and study 3, and were randomly divided into three groups:pollution group, protect group and control group. Three groups were received different experimental materials. And then, they were measured with the environmental responsibility, group identity, group-based emotions and group pro-environmental behavior intentions by questionnaires. Statistical analyses were implemented to establish intermediary effects models. Study results are as follows:(1) Revised Group Pro-environmental Behavior Intentions Scale hit the demands of Psychometrics and included three dimensions:repair, punishment and favor. (2) Air pollution condition reported significantly greater guilt and anger than air protection condition and control condition; air protection condition reported significantly greater pride than air pollution condition and control condition. (3) Group identity of air pollution condition was lower than air protection condition and control condition, but there was no significant difference between air pollution condition and control condition. (4) Group identity played a partial mediation effect between environmental responsibility and group-based emotions. (5) Air pollution condition reported significantly greater repair and punishment intentions than air protection condition and control condition; air protection condition reported significantly greater favor intentions than air pollution condition and control condition. (6) Group-based emotions played a partial mediation effect between environmental responsibility and group pro-environmental behavior intentions.In summary, the conclusions are as follows:(1) Air pollution responsibility led individuals feel guilty and angry, and induced repair and punishment intentions respectively; air protection responsibility led individuals feel proud and intend to in favor of in-group behavior. (2) Group environmental responsibility had a direct effect on group-based emotions and also had an indirect effect on them by group identity. (3) Group environmental responsibility had a direct effect on group pro-environmental behavior intentions and also had an indirect effect on them by group-based emotions.