The effects of fear on sustainability-related behaviour of individuals in Germany

The world is facing a variety of sustainability crises, not only encompassing anthropogenic climate change and damage to multiple other natural systems but also several interacting social and economic problems. Thus, a change in human behaviour and mindset is mandatory. As fear significantly influences how we act, this exploratory study aimed to analyse its association with sustainability-related behaviour. First, a systematic literature review was conducted to assess the state of research in this regard. Then, a quantitative analysis of self-reported data between 1998 and 2021 from the Socio-Economic Panel, a longitudinal survey representative of the German population, was performed. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses were used to validate a latent construct for fear. Subsequently, Generalised Structural Equation Modelling was used to reveal the association between the latent construct and four different sustainability-related behaviours. The results revealed that the state of research is in its beginnings. In most cases, different definitions of a specific form of anxiety, eco-anxiety, have been used to demonstrate a positive influence on pro-environmental behaviour. In this study, it was found that general fear was weakly associated with less sustainability-related behaviours, except for being environmentally conscious. Further research is needed to unify different conceptualisations of fear and validate a measurement of its general forms. Also, positive psychology was identified as a concept that is central to counteract the negative impacts of fear and to enable a holistic shift towards strong sustainability. Consequently, additional resources are needed to strengthen individuals’ abilities to cope with fear and engage in sustainability-related behaviours.