ECOSOC project

In public discourse and policy discussions, ecological transition is often presented as a choice between two perspectives: either it depends on individual actions (such as reducing personal consumption), or it requires broader societal changes (such as transforming norms and systems toward sustainability). This opposition can create mixed messages about how people should engage in pro-environmental behaviors (ProEnvB), especially when economic systems continue to prioritize growth and consumption. As a result, individuals may feel uncertain or even powerless in the face of what is considered one of the major challenges of our time.

The ECO/SOC project aims to move beyond this divide. Instead of separating individual and collective processes, we focus on the social dimension of ProEnvB. More specifically, we investigate how its prosocial component can either support or hinder sustainable lifestyles, depending on whether it creates alignment or tension with other social motivations.

Although previous research has highlighted the prosocial basis of ProEnvB, we still know relatively little about how these processes are represented in the brain, and how they vary depending on individual characteristics and situational context. To address this, we adopt a neuroscience approach to better understand how prosocial mechanisms influence engagement in pro-environmental actions in everyday life.

This project builds on ongoing work and recent contributions in the field, including several studies conducted by collaborators involved in the project.

Main references:

• https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/9kspn_v1

• https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-00658-3

• https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-64699-7_6

This research is conducted within the broader framework of the Moral and Social Brain Lab: https://moralsocialbrain.com/