Environmental Decision-Making Models: A Scoping Review

Abstract

The human race is proving its extraordinary intellectual capacities through various discoveries and inventions. However, that species acts like it has only a below-average intelligence for considering the environmental consequences of its actions. Such a situation poses a threat to the existence of life on Earth. Therefore, it is time to wake up and develop a collective capacity for ecological intelligence. Environmental decision-making (decision-making with a foresight into the environmental consequences of such a decision) is the most important component of ecological intelligence. An attempt is made here to understand different psychological variables influencing environmental decision-making. For this purpose, a scoping review of different environmental decision-making models is carried out. Out of the 2058 articles published from 1998 to 2018, four articles that best explain the psychological variables that lead to wise environmental decision-making through different models and theories were selected and reviewed in detail. From the review, it is found that the Norm Activation Model, Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior, Value- Beliefs- Norm theory, and Batson’s Model of Prosocial Behavior are the main models and theories applicable in the area of environmental decision-making. The psychological variables revealed through these models and theories and the implication of these variables in the process of human development to result in wise environmental decision-making are discussed.