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Sustainable consumption and individual responsibility

Hansson, Filippa LU (2023) STVM25 20231
Department of Political Science
Abstract
The more urgent the climate crisis become, the more responsibility is placed on individuals to reduce their carbon emissions and become ‘sustainable consumers’. If individuals are given such a responsibility, it is important to examine whether they perceive that they can fulfill it. This thesis main aim is therefore to qualitatively examine how and to what degree income impacts people’s perceived abilities to become sustainable consumers. Additionally, it explores how other factors such as motivation, knowledge and infrastructure can hinder individuals' perceived abilities and potentially relate to income. To study this, a comparative case study
was done where 25 individuals from three different socioeconomic neighborhoods were... (More)
The more urgent the climate crisis become, the more responsibility is placed on individuals to reduce their carbon emissions and become ‘sustainable consumers’. If individuals are given such a responsibility, it is important to examine whether they perceive that they can fulfill it. This thesis main aim is therefore to qualitatively examine how and to what degree income impacts people’s perceived abilities to become sustainable consumers. Additionally, it explores how other factors such as motivation, knowledge and infrastructure can hinder individuals' perceived abilities and potentially relate to income. To study this, a comparative case study
was done where 25 individuals from three different socioeconomic neighborhoods were interviewed. Thus, this thesis also explores how the perceived ability differed between socioeconomic neighborhoods. Drawing from research on the ‘attitude-behavior’ gap as well as Micheletti’s and Barkman’s theories on sustainable consumption, the results indicated that higher levels of income generally resulted
in a larger perceived ability to consume sustainably, where there were clear differences in perceived abilities between the neighborhoods. However, the influence of income could change depending on availability of green infrastructure, level of motivation and knowledge. A high level of motivation and knowledge could for example undermine the restraining effects of income. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Hansson, Filippa LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
A qualitative case study of the perceived ability to consume sustainably in three different socioeconomic neighborhoods in Malmö.
course
STVM25 20231
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Sustainable consumption, Perceived ability, Attitude-behavior gap, Just transition, Malmö
language
English
id
9112748
date added to LUP
2023-05-12 15:31:57
date last changed
2023-05-12 15:31:57
@misc{9112748,
  abstract     = {{The more urgent the climate crisis become, the more responsibility is placed on individuals to reduce their carbon emissions and become ‘sustainable consumers’. If individuals are given such a responsibility, it is important to examine whether they perceive that they can fulfill it. This thesis main aim is therefore to qualitatively examine how and to what degree income impacts people’s perceived abilities to become sustainable consumers. Additionally, it explores how other factors such as motivation, knowledge and infrastructure can hinder individuals' perceived abilities and potentially relate to income. To study this, a comparative case study
was done where 25 individuals from three different socioeconomic neighborhoods were interviewed. Thus, this thesis also explores how the perceived ability differed between socioeconomic neighborhoods. Drawing from research on the ‘attitude-behavior’ gap as well as Micheletti’s and Barkman’s theories on sustainable consumption, the results indicated that higher levels of income generally resulted
in a larger perceived ability to consume sustainably, where there were clear differences in perceived abilities between the neighborhoods. However, the influence of income could change depending on availability of green infrastructure, level of motivation and knowledge. A high level of motivation and knowledge could for example undermine the restraining effects of income.}},
  author       = {{Hansson, Filippa}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Sustainable consumption and individual responsibility}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}