CONTRIBUCIONES DEL ANÁLISIS DE LA CONDUCTA A LA INVESTIGACIÓN DEL COMPORTAMIENTO PRO-ECOLÓGICO

El comportamiento pro-ecológico se defi ne como una conducta efectiva, anticipaday dirigida a la preservación del entorno o a la minimización de sudeterioro. Ésta es una clase de acciones prioritarias para garantizar la supervivenciade la especie y lograr un nivel de vida digno para los seres humanos.Los conductistas fueron los primeros psicólogos que investigaron los factoresque propician la aparición y el mantenimiento de este tipo de conductas, desdefi nales de los años 60 del siglo XX. A pesar de que en estos momentos lainvestigación conductual no es la predominante, en términos cuantitativos,dentro de la psicología ambiental, la presencia de autores y proyectos conductistasen esta área es aún vigorosa, pero se requiere de un mayor esfuerzopara consolidar una corriente que brinde respuestas objetivas, potentes yefectivas al porqué las personas cuidan o deterioran el ambiente. El presentetrabajo hace un recuento breve de la trayectoria conductista en el inicio, desarrolloy consolidación de la psicología ambiental y su búsqueda de explicaciones al comportamiento pro-ecológico. También es una refl exión acercade lo que podría investigarse desde la perspectiva del análisis de la conductay cuáles serían las oportunidades y retos de los psicólogos ambientales deorientación conductual dentro de esta área de la psicología

Influencia de factores positivos, motivacionales y temporales sobre el ahorro de agua

En este estudio probamos, mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales, los efectos del Flow Psicológico en las acciones de cuidado del ambiente, la Gratitud hacia acciones de ahorro de agua, la Orientación al Futuro, la Hedonia y la Eudaimonia sobre una medida de autoinforme de ahorro de agua. Analizamos las respuestas obtenidas de una muestra intencional de 460 participantes provenientes de dos ciudades mexicanas (221 varones y 239 mujeres), con edades comprendidas entre 15 a 66 años (M= 34.5 años; DE= 13.40 años). El modelo exhibió bondad de ajuste y logró explicar un 30% de la varianza en la conducta de ahorro de agua. Tender al futuro y experimentar gratitud ante acciones de cuidado del agua promueven el ahorro de este recurso, mientras que la Hedonia disminuye la práctica de dicha conducta.In this study, we tested, through a structural equation model the effects of Psychological Flow on environmentally-protective behaviors, as well as the influence of Gratitude toward water conservation actions, Future orientation, Hedonia and Eudaimonia on a self-reported measure of water conservation behavior. We analysed the responses of a purposive sample of 460 participants from two Mexican cities (221 men and 239 women), aged between 15 - 66 years (M = 34.5 years; SD = 13.40 years). The model showed goodness of fit, explaining 30% variance of water conservation behavior. Being future oriented and experiencing gratitude towards water conservation actions promote the protection of this resource, while Hedonia decreases this conservationist practice

Influence of Positive, Motivational and Time Factors on Water Conservation Behavior

En este estudio probamos, mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales, los efectos del Flow Psicológico en las acciones de cuidado del ambiente, la Gratitud hacia acciones de ahorro de agua, la Orientación al Futuro, la Hedonia y la Eudaimonia sobre una medida de autoinforme de ahorro de agua. Analizamos las respuestas obtenidas de una muestra intencional de 460 participantes provenientes de dos ciudades mexicanas (221 varones y 239 mujeres), con edades comprendidas entre 15 a 66 años (M= 34.5 años; DE= 13.40 años). El modelo exhibió bondad de ajuste y logró explicar un 30% de la varianza en la conducta de ahorro de agua. Tender al futuro y experimentar gratitud ante acciones de cuidado del agua promueven el ahorro de este recurso, mientras que la Hedonia disminuye la práctica de dicha conducta.En este estudio probamos, mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales, los efectos del Flow Psicológico en las acciones de cuidado del ambiente, la Gratitud hacia acciones de ahorro de agua, la Orientación al Futuro, la Hedonia y la Eudaimonia sobre una medida de autoinforme de ahorro de agua. Analizamos las respuestas obtenidas de una muestra intencional de 460 participantes provenientes de dos ciudades mexicanas (221 varones y 239 mujeres), con edades comprendidas entre 15 a 66 años (M= 34.5 años; DE= 13.40 años). El modelo exhibió bondad de ajuste y logró explicar un 30% de la varianza en la conducta de ahorro de agua. Tender al futuro y experimentar gratitud ante acciones de cuidado del agua promueven el ahorro de este recurso, mientras que la Hedonia disminuye la práctica de dicha conducta.En este estudio probamos, mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales, los efectos del Flow Psicológico en las acciones de cuidado del ambiente, la Gratitud hacia acciones de ahorro de agua, la Orientación al Futuro, la Hedonia y la Eudaimonia sobre una medida de autoinforme de ahorro de agua. Analizamos las respuestas obtenidas de una muestra intencional de 460 participantes provenientes de dos ciudades mexicanas (221 varones y 239 mujeres), con edades comprendidas entre 15 a 66 años (M= 34.5 años; DE= 13.40 años). El modelo exhibió bondad de ajuste y logró explicar un 30% de la varianza en la conducta de ahorro de agua. Tender al futuro y experimentar gratitud ante acciones de cuidado del agua promueven el ahorro de este recurso, mientras que la Hedonia disminuye la práctica de dicha conducta.In this study, we tested, through a structural equation model the effects of Psychological Flow on environmentally-protective behaviors, as well as the influence of Gratitude toward water conservation actions, Future orientation, Hedonia and Eudaimonia on a self-reported measure of water conservation behavior. We analysed the responses of a purposive sample of 460 participants from two Mexican cities (221 men and 239 women), aged between 15 - 66 years (M = 34.5 years; SD = 13.40 years). The model showed goodness of fit, explaining 30% variance of water conservation behavior. Being future oriented and experiencing gratitude towards water conservation actions promote the protection of this resource, while Hedonia decreases this conservationist practice

PSYCHOLOGICAL MEANINGS OF “POSITIVE SPIRITUAL ENVIRONMENT” AND “PLACES TO COMMUNICATE WITH GOD”

The spaces that surround and sustain daily life significantly influence people’s way of thinking, feeling and behaving. They also reflect personal and meaningful aspects of their lives. This study was aimed at investigating conceptions regarding spiritual environments and characteristics of places wherein individuals communicate with God or a “higher power”, seeking to find empirical support to the idea of positive spiritual environments (spiritual contexts that, simultaneously, promote human wellbeing and environmental conservation). Ninety-one undergraduate students participated in the study. The network of spiritual environment generated a network size of 137 words with a core of 28 words. The highest semantic weights were produced by peace, God, tranquility, love, faith, church, pray, harmony, beliefs, wellbeing, happiness, and relaxation. Characteristics of the place wherein people communicate with God produced a network size of 104 words and a core of 27 words. The most important of those words were: church, home, calm, room, quiet, school, sacred, natural, alone, street, prayer, and clean. Few words communicating concern for environmentally conservation behaviors were found within the network

PSYCHOLOGICAL MEANINGS OF “POSITIVE SPIRITUAL ENVIRONMENT” AND “PLACES TO COMMUNICATE WITH GOD”

The spaces that surround and sustain daily life significantly influence people’s way of thinking, feeling and behaving. They also reflect personal and meaningful aspects of their lives. This study was aimed at investigating conceptions regarding spiritual environments and characteristics of places wherein individuals communicate with God or a “higher power”, seeking to find empirical support to the idea of positive spiritual environments (spiritual contexts that, simultaneously, promote human wellbeing and environmental conservation). Ninety-one undergraduate students participated in the study. The network of spiritual environment generated a network size of 137 words with a core of 28 words. The highest semantic weights were produced by peace, God, tranquility, love, faith, church, pray, harmony, beliefs, wellbeing, happiness, and relaxation. Characteristics of the place wherein people communicate with God produced a network size of 104 words and a core of 27 words. The most important of those words were: church, home, calm, room, quiet, school, sacred, natural, alone, street, prayer, and clean. Few words communicating concern for environmentally conservation behaviors were found within the network

Dynamic mental representations of habitual behaviours: Food choice on a web-based environment

Aim: Rather than being rigid, habitual behaviours may be determined by dynamic mental representations that can adapt to context changes. This adaptive potential may result from particular conditions dependent on the interaction between two sources of mental constructs activation: perceived context applicability and cognitive accessibility . Method: T wo web-shopping simulations of fering the choice between habitually chosen and non-habitually chosen food products were presented to participants. This considered two choice contexts dif fering in the habitual behaviour perceived applicability (low vs. high) and a measure of habitual behaviour chronicity . Results: Study 1 demonstrated a perceived applicability ef fect, with more habitual (non-organic) than non-habitual (organic) food products chosen in a high perceived applicability (familiar) than in a low perceived applicability (new) context. The adaptive potential of habitual behaviour was evident in the habitual products choice consistency across three successive choices, despite the decrease in perceived applicability . Study 2 evidenced the adaptive potential in strong habitual behaviour participants – high chronic accessibility – who chose a habitual product (milk) more than a non-habitual product (orange juice), even when perceived applicability was reduced (new context). Conclusion: Results portray consumers as adaptive decision makers that can flexibly cope with changes in their (inner and outer) choice contexts.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Why do people fail to act? Situational barriers and constraints on ecological behavior

The lack of success in dealing with the inconsistency between positive attitudes and ecological behaviors, and in explaining why people fail to act pro-environmentally is still widespread in practice and research. In our view, this has to do with three main reasons: 1) A positivity fallacy - the belief shared by many researchers and practitioners that as long as people have the right (or positive) attitudes, intentions, skills, information, etc., the right pro-ecological action should follow; thus, they disregard the importance of negative determinants in explaining the attitude-behavior inconsistency. 2) Lack of a psychological level of explanation; even when negative determinants are considered, the psychological explanation is often disregarded or incompletely identified, with most of the factors identified being socio-economical, or urban planning and architectural, etc. However, factors explaining why people fail to act can also be viewed within a psychological level of explanation, with behavior considered to be the result of an interaction between contextual variables and psychological processes. 3) Underestimation of the unconscious processes influence; contextual effects on behavior can be mediated not only by conscious perception but also by cognitive processes of which people are not aware of. Given these reasons, a model of psychological barriers and constraints is proposed (DN-Work model; “Didn’t work”) trying to integrate negative determinants within a psychological explanatory model of pro-ecological behavior. This model aims to represent a process view regarding how a conflict between pro-ecological and anti-ecological behavioral goals can be produced, given the presence of two types of barriers and constraints: a) perceived barriers and constraints, and b) unconscious barriers and constraints. We briefly present two studies based on this model. These studies address habit accessibility as an unconscious behavioral barrier on ecological decisions to buy organic products, mediated by the effect of behavioral-goals activation from the situation

Values, Environmental Beliefs, and Connection With Nature as Predictive Factors of the Pro-environmental Vote in Spain

This research analyzes the predictive capacity of psychosocial variables that can influence the decision to vote for political parties that include pro-environmental measures in their program. To this end, a study was carried out with a sample of 414 people of legal age who could exercise their right to vote (mean age = 26.92, SD = 10.53). The participants were divided into two groups: (1) Pro-environmental voters, those who during the last elections in Spain based their voting decision on whether the political party included pro-environment measures in its electoral program (n = 190), and (2) Non-pro-environmental voters, those other people who voted for a political party without considering whether pro-environment measures were included in its electoral program (even if such environmental protection measures had been included) (n = 224). The results indicate that, in comparison with their counterparts who do not vote for pro-environmental parties, those who voted for political parties during the last elections by considering the inclusion of pro-environment measures in their electoral program showed the highest scores on the biospheric and socio-altruistic values of ecocentrism, anthropocentrism, connectivity with nature and environmental concern, and scored lower on self-centered values. With the exception of connectivity with nature, biospheric values and beliefs were good predictors of pro-environmental voting behavior.University of Granada (Spain) PPJIB2018-04Andalusian research plan of the Andalusian government HUM-19

Effect size, confidence intervals and statistical power in psychological research

Quantitative psychological research is focused on detecting the occurrence of certain population phenomena by analyzing data from a sample, and statistics is a particularly helpful mathematical tool that is used by researchers to evaluate hypotheses and make decisions to accept or reject such hypotheses. In this paper, the various statistical tools in psychological research are reviewed. The limitations of null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) and the advantages of using effect size and its respective confidence intervals are explained, as the latter two measurements can provide important information about the results of a study. These measurements also can facilitate data interpretation and easily detect trivial effects, enabling researchers to make decisions in a more clinically relevant fashion. Moreover, it is recommended to establish an appropriate sample size by calculating the optimum statistical power at the moment that the research is designed. Psychological journal editors are encouraged to follow APA recommendations strictly and ask authors of original research studies to report the effect size, its confidence intervals, statistical power and, when required, any measure of clinical significance. Additionally, we must account for the teaching of statistics at the graduate level. At that level, students do not receive sufficient information concerning the importance of using different types of effect sizes and their confidence intervals according to the different types of research designs; instead, most of the information is focused on the various tools of NHST

Playlists and time perspective

Research on playlists has focused on how usage is related to technological and music industry variables, and the demographic characteristics of users. However, it also seems reasonable to suspect a psychological component to playlist usage. The present research considered an individual’s propensity to devise and make use of playlists in terms of time perspective. Significant results indicate an emphasis on the time at hand while listening, so that playlist use has a present-orientated time perspective, rather than a future-oriented time perspective. The findings support other recent research illustrating that exercising control over everyday listening is an important aspect of musical behavior in present-day music listening