How anticipated positive and negative emotions influence pro-environmental behavior via environmental attitudes

Both anticipated positive and negative emotions positively influence pro-environmental behavior, with environmental attitudes mediating these effects. Specifically, anticipated positive emotions not only exert a direct impact on pro-environmental behavior but also indirectly influence it through environmental attitudes. In contrast, anticipated negative emotions affect pro-environmental behavior exclusively through the mediating role of environmental attitudes. The direct effect of anticipated positive emotions may reflect the approach-oriented motivational function of positive emotions. Meanwhile, the indirect effects of both types of emotions through environmental attitudes suggest that anticipated emotions promote pro-environmental behavior by influencing individuals' perceptions of the human-environment relationship. These findings significantly advance our understanding of the emotional mechanisms underlying pro-environmental behavior and offer valuable implications for designing emotion-based interventions aimed at fostering environmentally responsible actions.