Abstract We build on social identity models of environmental collective action by developing the Environmental Cognitive Alternatives Scale (ECAS), which measures the ability to imagine what a sustainable relationship between humans and the rest of nature might look like. In Study 1 (N = 386), we developed the initial scale, and found evidence for its construct validity. The ECAS was associated with other relevant social identity theory variables—perceived (il)legitimacy and (in)stability of the current environmental status quo and engagement in environmental collective action, as well as with other environmental variables including pro-environmental consumer behavior and beliefs about anthropogenic climate change. In Study 2 (N = 393), we confirmed the factor structure of the ECAS, found additional evidence for its construct validity, and found that it was a strong predictor of environmental activist identification, explaining variance beyond extensive control variables including identification with nature, perceived (in)stability and (il)legitimacy, and beliefs about anthropogenic climate change. It also explained additional variance in willingness to engage in environmental collective action behavior beyond even environmental activist identification. Our results suggest that the ability to imagine cognitive alternatives to the environmental status quo might have important implications for whether people engage in pro-environmental collective action to mitigate climate-change and other environmental problems.

中文翻译：

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想象一个可持续发展的世界：衡量环境现状的认知替代方案

摘要 我们通过开发环境认知替代量表 (ECAS) 来构建环境集体行动的社会认同模型，该量表衡量想象人类与自然其他部分之间可持续关系可能是什么样子的能力。在研究 1 (N = 386) 中，我们开发了初始量表，并找到了其结构效度的证据。ECAS 与其他相关的社会认同理论变量相关——当前环境现状的感知（非）合法性和（不）稳定性以及环境集体行动的参与，以及其他环境变量，包括亲环境消费者行为和信念关于人为气候变化。在研究 2（N = 393）中，我们确认了 ECAS 的因子结构，发现了其结构效度的额外证据，并发现它是环境活动家认同的强预测因子，解释了超出广泛控制变量的差异，包括对自然的认同、感知的（不）稳定性和（不）合法性，以及对人为气候变化的信念。它还解释了参与环境集体行动行为的意愿的额外差异，甚至超出了环保活动家的认同。我们的研究结果表明，想象环境现状的认知替代方案的能力可能对人们是否参与有利于环境的集体行动来缓解气候变化和其他环境问题具有重要意义。感知（不）稳定性和（非）合法性，以及对人为气候变化的看法。它还解释了参与环境集体行动行为的意愿的额外差异，甚至超出了环保活动家的认同。我们的研究结果表明，想象环境现状的认知替代方案的能力可能对人们是否参与有利于环境的集体行动来缓解气候变化和其他环境问题具有重要意义。感知（不）稳定性和（非）合法性，以及对人为气候变化的看法。它还解释了参与环境集体行动行为的意愿的额外差异，甚至超出了环保活动家的认同。我们的研究结果表明，想象环境现状的认知替代方案的能力可能对人们是否参与有利于环境的集体行动来缓解气候变化和其他环境问题具有重要意义。