EFFECTIVENESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION ON HUMAN LIFE

Abstract

Environmental sustainability, or the long-term management and preservation of the planet's natural resources and ecosystems, is becoming more widely acknowledged as a societal concern influenced by human conduct at all spheres of social interaction, from communities to whole countries. A more nuanced understanding of the ways that both individual and group-level processes can affect conservation efforts is now being incorporated into psychological perspectives on conservation, which traditionally focused on individual determinants of proenvironmental behavior (such as personal environmental concern). Research on social norms and identity-based influences, in particular, indicates that social perceptions, such as beliefs about what behaviors are typical and socially valued, can be stronger motivators of conservation behavior than financial incentives, pro-environmental appeals, or the simplicity of pro-environmental actions.