Psychological Development and Education ›› 2016, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (1): 106-113.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2016.01.14

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Can Self-control Resist the Effect of Negative Descriptive Norms on Middle School Students' Pro-environmental Behavior?

FU Xinyuan1, FANG Xiuying1,2, KOU Yu1   

  1. 1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875;
    2. Beijing City Tonglinge Middle School, Beijing 100075
  • Online:2016-01-15 Published:2016-01-15

PDF (PC)

Abstract: Negative descriptive norms affect individuals' pro-environmental behavior, yet whether self-control can resist the effect of negative descriptive norms is unknown. Therefore, we explored if self-control moderates the relation between negative descriptive norms and pro-environmental intention and behavior, based on a sample of middle school students in Beijing. In Study 1, 376 participants completed a questionnaire containing self-control ability and pro-environmental intention (which was measured through a hypothetical scenario with literal descriptive norms manipulation). In Study 2, a laboratory experiment was conducted and 168 participants were recruited. Self-control state was manipulated through ego depletion task (ego-depletion group vs. control group), and descriptive norms were manipulated by setting the environment of the laboratory (very dirty vs. normal). Also the participants' pro-environmental behavior (taking away plastic packing bag) was measured. The results showed that, negative descriptive norms decreased the participants' pro-environmental intention and behavior; both trait and state self-control positively predicted the participants' pro-environmental intention and behavior; however, self-control did not moderate the relation between negative descriptive norms and pro-environmental intention and behavior. That being said, self-control could not resist the effect of negative descriptive norms on middle school students' pro-environmental behavior.

Key words: descriptive norms, self-control, pro-environmental behavior, middle school students

CLC Number: 

  • B844

Aarts, H., & Dijksterhuis, A. (2003). The silence of the library:Environment, situational norm, and social behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(1), 18-28.

Bamberg, S., & Möser, G. (2007). Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford, and Tomera:A new meta-analysis of psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behaviour. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 27(1), 14-25.

Baumeister, R. F. (2000). Ego depletion and the self's executive function. In A. Tesser & R. Felson (Eds.) Psychological perspectives on the self and identity (pp. 9-33). Washington, DC:American Psychological Association.

Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. (1998). Ego depletion:Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(5), 1252-1265.

Cialdini, R. B., & Trost, M. R. (1998). Social influence:Social norms, conformity, and compliance. In D. Gilbert, S. Fiske, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), Handbook of social psychology (4th ed., Vol. 2, pp. 151-192). Boston, MA:McGraw-Hill.

Cialdini, R. B., Reno, R. R., & Kallgren, C. A. (1990). A focus theory of normative conduct:Recycling the concept of norms to reduce littering in public places. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58(6), 1015-1026.

de Ridder, D. T., Lensvelt-Mulders, G., Finkenauer, C., Stok, F. M., & Baumeister, R. F. (2012). Taking stock of self-control A meta-analysis of how trait self-control relates to a wide range of behaviors. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 16(1), 76-99.

DeBono, A., Shmueli, D., & Muraven, M. (2011). Rude and inappropriate:The role of self-control in following social norms. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37(1), 136-146.

Dunlap, R. E., Van Liere, K.,D., Mertig, A. G., & Jones, R. E. (2000). Measuring endorsement of the new ecological paradigm:A revised NEP scale. The Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 425-442.

Griskevicius, V., Tybur, J. M., & Van den Bergh, B. (2010). Going green to be seen:status, reputation, and conspicuous conservation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(3), 392-404.

Hines, J. M., Hungerford, H. R., & Tomera, A. N. (1986). Analysis and synthesis of research on responsible environmental behavior:A meta-analysis. The Journal of Environmental Education, 18(2), 1-8.

Kasser, T. (2003). The high price of materialism. Cambridge, MA:MIT Press.

Kasser, T., & Sheldon, K. M. (2000). Of wealth and death:Materialism, mortality salience, and consumption behavior. Psychological Science, 11(4), 348-351.

Kopp, C. B. (1982). Antecedents of self-regulation:A developmental perspective. Developmental Psychology, 18(2), 199-214.

Lönnqvist, J. E., Irlenbusch, B., & Walkowitz, G. (2014). Moral hypocrisy:impression management or self-deception? Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 55, 53-62.

Muraven, M., Shmueli, D., & Burkley, E. (2006). Conserving self-control strength. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91(3), 524-537.

Nagin, D. S., & Pogarsky, G. (2003). An experimental investigation of deterrence:Cheating, self-serving bias, and impulsivity. Criminology, 41(1), 167-194.

Pratt, T. C., & Cullen, F. T. (2000). The empirical status of Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime:A meta-analysis. Criminology, 38(3), 931-964.

Schultz, P. W., Nolan, J., Cialdini, R., Goldstein, N., & Griskevicius, V. (2007). The constructive, destructive, and reconstructive power of social norms. Psychological Science, 18(5), 429-434.

Stern, P. C. (2000). Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behavior. Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 407-424.

Tomlinson, K. L., & Brown, S. A. (2012). Self-medication or social learning? A comparison of models to predict early adolescent drinking. Addictive Behaviors, 37(2), 179-186.

Vohs, D. K., Baumeister, R. F., & Ciarocco, J. N. (2005). Self-regulation and self-presentation:Regulatory resource depletion impairs impression management and effortful self-presentation depletes regulatory resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88(4), 632-657.

Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect:the PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(6), 1063-1070.

董蕊, 张力为, 彭凯平, 喻丰, 柴方圆. (2013). 自我损耗研究方法述评. 心理科学, 36(04), 994-997.

王红姣, 卢家楣. (2004). 中学生自我控制能力问卷的编制及其调查. 心理科学, 27(6), 1447-1482.

韦庆旺, 孙健敏. (2013). 对环保行为的心理学解读——规范焦点理论述评. 心理科学进展, 21(04), 751-760.

张卫东, 刁静, Schick, C. J. (2004). 正、负性情绪的跨文化心理测量:PANAS维度结构检验. 心理科学, 27(1), 77-79.
[1] LU Xinzhe, WANG Zhi, LI Yong, WANG Binying. Longitudinal Effects of Parental Violence Exposure on Middle School Students' Problem Behaviors: A Moderated Mediation Model [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2024, 40(2): 231-239.
[2] ZHANG Lu, SUN Shan, YOU Zhiqi. The Effect of Internet Addiction on Academic Stress among College Students: The Mediating Role of Sleep Quality and Self-control [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2024, 40(2): 279-287.
[3] TIAN Huidong, ZHANG Yuhong, SUN Haoxiang, LI Ying, Hanixia. The Effect of Teacher-student Relationship on Social Competence with Peers for Students with Intellectual Disabilities: A Moderated Mediation Model [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2024, 40(1): 44-54.
[4] YUAN Yuan, LIANG Zhoujian, ZHANG Li. Structural School Climate and Depression among Middle School Students: A Moderated Mediation Model of Social Support and Gender [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(6): 869-876.
[5] CHEN Ying, ZHANG Ye, HAN Na, WANG Kai. The Influence of Campus Exclusion on Junior High School Students’ Online Deviant Behavior: The Serial Mediating of Relative Deprivation and Self-control [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(6): 887-894.
[6] ZHOU Xiaohui, LIU Yanxi, CHEN Xin, WANG Yiji. The Impact of Parental Educational Involvement on Middle School Students' Life Satisfaction:The Chain Mediating Effects of School Relationships and Academic Self-efficacy [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(5): 691-701.
[7] XIONG Jie, FAN Cuiying, WEI Hua, YANG Xiujuan, LIAN Shuailei. The Effect of Mindfulness on Cyberbullying: A Moderated Mediation Model [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(5): 752-760.
[8] WANG Yue, ZHANG Bao, ZHOU Hui. Mindful Awareness and Mental Health among Primary and Middle School Students: The Cross-time Mediating Effect of Emotion Regulation and Positive Appraisal [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(5): 692-702.
[9] CAI Xuebin, GUI Shoucai, TANG Yiqi, ZHANG Shuo, XU Mingxing. The Impact of Parenting Styles on Resilience of Adolescent: The Chain Mediating Effect of Self-control and Regulatory Focus [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(4): 505-512.
[10] WANG Xiaofeng, YAN Liangshi, Ding Daoqun. The Effect of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Middle School Students’ Conscience: The Chain Mediating Role of Self-control Trait and Ego-depletion [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(4): 566-575.
[11] LI Beilei, GAO Ting, ZHANG Lili, ZHOU Nan, DENG Linyuan. Relationship between Student’s Perceived Teacher Bullying Attitude and Student Bullying Behavior:Mediating Effect of Student Bullying Attitude and Moderating Effect of Gender [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(3): 348-357.
[12] WANG Xu, LIU Yanling, LIN Jie, LIU Chuanxing, WEI Lingzhen, QIU Hanyu. The Effect of Parent-child Relationship on Mental Health of Middle School Students: The Chain Mediating Role of Social Support and Psychological Suzhi [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(2): 263-271.
[13] CHENG Kexin, YOU Yayuan, YE Baojuan, CHEN Zhizhong. The Relationship between Family Function and Middle School Students' Suicide Attitude [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(2): 272-278.
[14] DING Qian, WANG Zhaoqi, ZHANG Yongxin, ZHOU Zongkui. The More “Gossip”, the More Addicted: The Relationship Between Interpersonal Curiosity and Social Networking Sites Addiction Tendencies in College Students [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(1): 118-125.
[15] ZHANG Guangzhen, LIANG Miao, LIANG Zongbao. A Longitudinal Study of the Influence of Parenting Styles on Social Adjustment of Preschool Children: Mediating Effects of Self-control [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2021, 37(6): 800-807.
Viewed
Full text


Abstract

Cited
  Shared   
  Discussed   
No Suggested Reading articles found!
Copyright 2018 © Editorial office of Psychological Development and Education
Supported by Beijing Magtech Co.Ltd