Psychological barriers to climate-friendly food choices

Elzarie Theron; Sean  Hagen

doi:10.57157/pins2023vol65iss1a5816

Psychological barriers to climate-friendly food choices

Elzarie Theron University of South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6558-2887
Sean Hagen University of South Africa

DOI: https://doi.org/10.57157/pins2023vol65iss1a5816

Keywords: Consumer behaviour, climate change mitigation, climate-friendly food, pro-environmental behaviour, psychological processes, sustainable food choices

Abstract

The food supply chain is a significant contributor to climate change. By following a climate-friendly diet, consumers have the potential to significantly reduce the effects of climate change. However, despite the growing awareness of the climate-friendly food options that are available, consumers still choose foods with a high carbon footprint. Following a survey design, this study aimed to determine the extent to which four psychological processes (denial, conflicting goals and aspirations, tokenism, and interpersonal influence)
limited climate-friendly food choices in a sample of adult consumers residing in Gauteng, South Africa. Data were collected from 146 participants using the Climate-friendly Food Choices Scale and the Psychological Barriers Scale. Results indicated that, overall, the barriers were negatively associated with climate-friendly food choices. Regression analysis indicated that the four psychological barriers explained 10.6 % of the variance in climate-friendly food choices. Conflicting goals and aspirations and denial were identified as the two main psychological barriers to climatefriendly food choices. It is therefore essential to consider the psychological processes that could have a limiting effect on the adoption of climate-friendly food choices in our approach
to encourage pro-environmental change.

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Author Biographies

Elzarie Theron, University of South Africa

Department of Psychology,
University of South Africa

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6558-2887

Sean Hagen, University of South Africa

Department of Psychology,
University of South Africa

Published

2023-11-01

How to Cite

Elzarie Theron, & Hagen, S. (2023). Psychological barriers to climate-friendly food choices. PINS-Psychology in Society, 65(1), 81-100. https://doi.org/10.57157/pins2023vol65iss1a5816

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Issue

Vol. 65 No. 1 (2023)

Section

Articles

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