Objectives: Evaluate the degree of “Environmental Sensitivity” and determine factors that influence individual’s pro-environmental behaviour. The objective is to explore important causal processes operating in contemporary Indian society which best predicts the environmental sensitive behavior.
Methods/Statistical Analysis: Using data gathered from World Value Survey (WVS)-Wave 6 database from 2010-2014 to investigate the relationship between attitude and self-driven consumer behavior towards the environment. The factors included are: (1) Collective Action and Political Participation, (2) Perception of Democracy, (3) Negative externalities, (4) Social Cohesion and Trust, (5) Political Unrest and Fear, (6) Morality, (7) Personal and Social Value (Schwartz), (8) Religiosity and Spiritual Well Being. The data analysis primarily uses structural equation modeling (SEM) and partial least squares (PLS) statistical methods.
Findings: This paper as a novelty shows the relevance of certain behavioural parameters that are often neglected in analyzing the cause of environmental damage at the grass ischolar_main level, such as political interest, social capital, fear of political unrest, democracy and increasing political participation. These variables have a strong impact on the environmental sensitivity.
Application: The effect of Morality, Social Value and Political participation was statistically significant with overall goodness of fit of 48%. The strongest effect was observable for Social Value Orientation, which validates the fact that cross-cultural differences are one of the major reasons for the environmental sensitivity among individuals. All three proxies of environmental sensitivity that were statistically significant in the study have a positive impact on individuals’ attitude towards environmental morale. Thus, there is a need to frame an egalitarian, affectionate and intellectually enlightened economy, the policy aim of government should be create awareness among individuals and also highlight the cross-country comparisons of other nations faring well in environmental monitoring and control.