Abstract
Many individuals express concern for the environment and a desire to see it thrive, yet the environment continues to deteriorate at an alarming rate. Research consistently shows that positive environmental attitudes do not automatically translate into sustainable behavior. Certain individuals and groups demonstrate more consistent pro-environmental behavior than others. Yet, existing literature is insufficient in explaining the factors that drive variations in pro-environmental behavior. This study contributes to the existing literature by examining how social group membership shapes pro-environmental behavior. Drawing on Social Identity Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, I theorize that group norms and collective identities condition an individual’s environmental behavior. The study focuses on students at the University of Idaho and compares four categories of affiliation: environmentally oriented organizations; civil, cultural, and academic groups; social, recreational, and status-oriented groups; and students with no social group membership. The paper employs a mixed-methods approach. It combines surveys and interviews to study the effects of social group membership on pro-environmental behavior. The study contributes to the literature by explaining how positive environmental attitudes do not always translate into pro-environmental behavior..