Exploring the Influence of Mindful Observation, Biospheric Value and Personal Norms in Shaping Pro-environmental Behaviour Among Adolescents: A Mediation Analysis

Research on pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) among Indian adolescents is limited but growing. The Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory suggests that values underlie PEB, but the factors influencing these values require further exploration. Identifying antecedents to values may help instil biospheric values and personal norms among adolescents to foster PEB. This study investigated mindfulness, particularly the observing dimension, as an antecedent predicting PEB. It also explored the mediating roles of biospheric values and personal norms to understand how mindful observation enhances PEB, especially among adolescents. The study involved 642 adolescent school students (329 males, 313 females) aged 13–15. The authors developed self-reported questionnaires in Tamil to assess biospheric values, personal norms and PEB. Mindful observation was evaluated using the Adolescent and Adult Mindfulness Scale. Serial mediation analysis revealed that the indirect pathway from mindful observation to PEB via biospheric values and personal norms was significant ( β = 0.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.27, 0.39]). This shows that mindful observation enhanced biospheric values, which, in turn, influenced personal norms to foster PEB. Also, this suggests that mindful observation is a potential antecedent to biospheric values, highlighting the importance of cultivating mindfulness and instilling biospheric values among Indian adolescents to strengthen their personal norms towards PEB.