Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford, and Tomera: A new meta-analysis of psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behaviour

The goal of the present paper is a replication as well as an extension of the Hines et al. [(1986/87). Analysis and synthesis of research on responsible environmental behaviour: A meta-analysis. Journal of Environmental Education, 18, 1–8] meta-analysis on psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behaviour. Based on information from a total of 57 samples the present meta-analysis finds mean correlations between psycho-social variables and pro-environmental behaviour similar to those reported by Hines et al. In a second step, the matrix of pooled correlations is used for a structural equation modelling (SEM) test of theoretically postulated structural relations between eight determinants of pro-environmental behaviour (so-called Meta-analytic SEM (MASEM)). MASEM results confirm that pro-environmental behavioural intention mediate the impact of all other psycho-social variables on pro-environmental behaviour (27% explained variance). Results also confirm that besides attitude and behavioural control personal moral norm is a third predictor of pro-environmental behavioural intention (52% explained variance). The MASEM also indicates that problem awareness is an important but indirect determinant of pro-environmental intention. Its impact seems to be mediated by moral and social norms, guilt and attribution processes.