Close or Distant? Psychological Distance and Norms Shape Pro-Environmental Behavior

Abstract

This study examines the interplay of psychological distance, personal norms, and social norms in pro-environmental behavior. Data were collected through face-to-face surveys using snowball and convenience sampling methods, yielding a final sample of 955 participants aged 18 to 74 (M = 34.31, SD = 10.37). We hypothesized that lower psychological distance would be associated with stronger personal and social norms, which, in turn, would predict higher pro-environmental behavior. The structural model explained 50.9% of the variance in behavior, suggesting that perceiving climate change as immediate and concrete is associated with stronger pro-environmental actions through heightened moral obligation. Latent class analysis confirmed the model’s robustness across groups. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of strengthening norms and reducing psychological distance to enhance public engagement in pro-environmental behavior.