Preserving the World for Tomorrow: The Role of (Grand)Parenting in Eco-Generativity​

Changing Society | ECH Project | Seed Funding

Selma Korlat at the Department of Psychology and Erich Striessnig at the Department of Demography work together to examine differences in baseline eco-generativity among grandparents, older parents, and childless older adults, and test whether priming eco-generative legacy motives can increase individual and collective pro-environmental behaviour.

Magnific; AI-generated

Overview

Combining developmental psychology and demographic perspectives, the project examines whether eco-generativity is primarily rooted in kinship ties or whether it represents a broader motivational resource that extends beyond biological lineage.​

Using an experimental design, the project will test how different forms of eco-generative messaging - focused on family legacy, future generations more broadly, or protection of the natural world - influence pro-environmental behavior and collective climate engagement in later life. The findings will contribute to psychological and demographic research on aging, generativity, and environmental engagement, while also informing communication strategies aimed at mobilizing older adults as active contributors to climate change mitigation and long-term societal sustainability.​

Investigators