Helping the Planet for a More Sustainable Future: Spill-Overs among Young Adults’ Prosocial and Pro-Environmental Attitudes and Behavior

This study explores how prosocial engagement may enable young people to become committed to environmental protection. Using serial mediation analysis, we examine the data from 530 undergraduate business students in Southeast Europe to depict the psychological pathways connecting prosocial attitudes and behaviors with a propensity for environmental engagement. Statistical analysis is performed using the PROCESS macro Model 6. Although limited by similar socio-economic circumstances across the analyzed region and the cross-sectional research design, our findings suggest that the mediated indirect relationships help to develop attitudes and behaviors responsible toward the environment. Implications of the study include the broader possibilities for education and public policy-making: prosocial engagement could serve as a promising instrument to motivate young adults to accept the concept of sustainable development. In this way, synergies between prosocial engagement and environmental awareness might be used to develop a more sustainable, ecologically aware society. Key words prosociality; environmental engagement; attitudes; behaviors; young adults