Análise dos traços de personalidade como preditores de atitudes ambientalmente responsáveis

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the relationship of personality traits with individuals’ environmentally responsible attitudes. Was investigated altruistic and materialistic characteristics to see if, in fact, such characteristics can explain attitudes that generate lower impact on the environment. Also, was considered, once it is a behavioral research, the bias caused by social desirability, or, in other words, the fact that individuals express their opinions or attitudes according the expected behavior of society, and not according to their reality. To achieve the objectives of this study, scales were used to measure the constructs involved and used the structural equation modeling as a method of analysis. The sample consisted of 339 individuals responsible for their personal or family purchases. It is concluded that the altruistic and materialistic characteristics of individuals explain, in part, their attitudes and how these can be supported by environmental considerations or motivations. It was found that altruism is directly and positively related to environmentally responsible attiudes, while materialism is directly, but negatively related to environmentally responsible attitudes. This study, as well as contributing to the theories related to consumer behavior and the study of sustainability, specifically with regard to environmentally responsible consumption habits, also includes contributions to the business practice. Companies must better understand their customers and their behavior so as to adapt or create new products or businesses to better satisfy them and also minimize the impact on the environment caused in the consumption and post-consumption stages of their products.