Pursuing Happiness, Protecting the Planet: How Well‐Being Orientations Shape Pro‐Environmental Behavior

ABSTRACT

This research examines how well‐being orientations (hedonic vs. eudaimonic) affect pro‐environmental behavior. Prior research on well‐being orientations has focused primarily on self‐interested outcomes, with considerably less attention to other‐oriented behaviors such as pro‐environmental behavior. In this paper, across three main studies and one supplementary study, Studies 1 and 2 show that individuals with a hedonic orientation exhibit stronger pro‐environmental behaviors than those with a eudaimonic orientation, with perceived benefits partially mediating this effect. Moreover, social visibility moderates this relationship (Study 3): under high social visibility, individuals with a hedonic orientation exhibit stronger pro‐environmental behaviors than those with a eudaimonic orientation, whereas under low social visibility, the pattern reverses. These findings clarify the psychological mechanisms linking well‐being orientations and pro‐environmental behavior, offering theoretical and practical implications for enhancing public participation in environmentally sustainable development.