ENST20001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Hierarchical Database Model
24 May 2018
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LECTURE 8: VALUE BELIEF NORM
THEORY
Value-Belief-Norm theory (Stern, 2005) describes a related concept
o Personal norm: sense of obligation to take actions
o Factors that underpin norms and expectation of self - sense of needing to act
• If context is so strong, then attitudes and motivations make little different
• Big picture of what shapes behaviour and how does that relate to how we encourage sustainable action
• Value-Belief-Norm Model: helps understand factors that shape environmental concern for action
o Hierarchical model, values underpin everything, there are forms of belief shaping how concern,
then there are a set of norms which influence how we take action
o Across societies we see diverse value orientations: egoistic, social-altruistic, biospheric
• There is some relationship between values and behaviour - pro-env behaviour more
associated with altruistic values than egoistic (weak association)
▪ However, egoistic values can also lead to PEB, for selfish reasons
o New environmental paradigm is an approach to describe general environmental attitudes to
understand how societal attitudes are changing and how this changes individual attitudes
• 2 main worldviews (combination attitudes + values): dominant social paradigm and new
environmental paradigm
• Schwartz' Norm Activation Theory of Altruism
o People will act altruistically in some circumstances
o Behaviour where individuals have a personal norm for altruistic action - sense of obligation or self
expectation to act altruistically
o Activated when: (these shape the sense of obligation)
• Belief that particular conditions pose threats to other people or environment
• Belief that actions we undertake could reduce or stop those consequences
• Value of Value-Belief-Norm Model for raising concern
o Reinforces kinds of values and worldviews that promote PEB
o Raise awareness of the consequences of env issues and action for different values
• Env concern particularly associated with self-transcendent and social-altruistic values
• PEB may also be motivated by egoistic value orientations - make consequences for self clear
o Show how and individual can act to reduce threat
o Reinforce personal norms for PEB - obligation to act
