The Gender Gap in Environmental Attitudes: A System Justification Perspective

Abstract

System justification refers to a psychological tendency to maintain certainty, security, and solidarity through motivated perceptions of the status quo and the extant socioeconomic system as beneficial, fair, stable, and legitimate, especially in response to dependency and threat. System justification impedes efforts to address societal challenges, and in particular gives rise to denial, resistance, and inaction in the face of climate change and environmental problems. Women chronically engage in less system justification than men, and this difference partially explains women’s greater willingness to acknowledge ecological problems and risks and to engage in actions that are beneficial for the environment. We demonstrate that reframing environmental messages as consistent with upholding the established way of life and the well-being of our society gives rise to increased support for environmental efforts on the part of those who are especially motivated to justify the system and can therefore help to narrow the ideological gap in environmental attitudes and behaviors