Wednesday 30th August · 15:00 – 16:30 h.

fields (e.g. meta-analytic SEM of psychological predictor of environmental behaviour by Klöckner,

2013) and newly tested theoretical links (e.g. the relationships between socio-economic micro and
macro-factors and (perceived behavioural) control). The overall aim of the framework and SEM is to
guide and advance multi-disciplinary empirical research in household energy consumption.

References:
Burger, P., Bezençon, V., Bornemann, B., Brosch, T., Carabias-Hütter, V., Farsi, M., ... & Sander, D. (2015). advances in understanding
energy consumption behavior and the govern-ance of its change–outline of an integrated framework. Frontiers in Energy Research,
3, 29.
Klöckner, C. A. (2013). A comprehensive model of the psychology of environmental behaviour - A meta-analysis. Global Environmental
Change, 23(5), 1028-1038.

361 The role of grassroots innovations in promoting local sustainable consumption.

Motivations, values and learning outcomes within the “Galician network of
conscious and responsible consumption”
Lema-Blanco, I., García-Mira, R. & Muñoz Cantero, J.M.
University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain

Keywords: sustainable consumption; grassroots social innovations; motivations;

Abstract:
Introduction and theoretical background:
Environmental psychology has deeply studied the psychological, social and structural factors that enable
(or discourage) sustainable consumption patterns, highlighting the ‘value-action gap’ between people’s
attitudes and their unsustainable consumption practices (Jackson, 2005). Self-reported intentionality
does not translate to objective pro-environmental behaviour, at least in those complex issues like climate
change as some authors have pointed out (Gifford, Kormos & Mcintyre, 2011). Individual behaviours are
deeply embedded in social and organizational contexts -like workplace or social groups- that condition
or influence their environmental behaviour (Uzzell et al, 2016; García-Mira et al, 2016). Recent studies
have investigated interactions between personal, contextual and structural factors influencing lifestyles
patterns, focusing on actual consumption behaviour conducted by members engaged in sustainable local
grassroots initiatives (Oman et al, 2016; Carrus 2015; Dumitru, et. al, 2016). Grounded on the principles
of the self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), other authors have focused on intrinsic motivations
and personal drivers for committed action, finding positive relationships between perceiving autonomy,
relatedness and competence and having internalised in various environmental behavioural domains
(Cooke, Fielding & Louis, 2015; De Groot et al, 2015; Knippenberg, 2015). Besides, committed citizens
are relevant active agents against climate change effects when assume ethical responsibilities in their
consumption decisions as food activists do in sustainable consumption organizations (Riutort, 2011;
Seyfang, Hielscher & Hargreaves, 2013; Dumitru et. al., 2015, 2016; Lema-Blanco et al, 2015).

Methods: This research aims to deep in environmental education and psychology research, examining the
personal and social factors that influence sustainable consumption practices (limited research exists in
Spain addressing grassroots social innovations). A multi-method approach will be used to obtain responses
to the research questions proposed, using both qualitative and quantitative techniques for collecting the
information about the relevant variables. The research will be carried out in two phases. First, empirical
data will be collected through qualitative methodologies: in-depth interviews, participant observation and
document review. For the purposes of this paper, we will present the results of the qualitative analysis.
A total of 12 in-depth interviews have been conducted with participants actively engaged in a local
sustainable consumption cooperative belonging to the “Galician network of conscious and responsible
consumption”. Interviews will follow a semi-structured questionnaire (Madill & Gough, 2008), using non-
leading open questions (Flick, 2009), focused on the personal experiences and reflections of interviewees
regarding the topics of this study.

Results: The results contribute to the understanding of the role that grassroots sustainable initiatives
play in terms of maintaining responsible consumption behaviour. The study analyses personal factors
and (intrinsic and extrinsic) motivations that lead people to engage in low-impact lifestyles. Second,
this study demonstrates how the internal context of such grassroots initiatives - as voluntary-based
initiatives based on active participation- enables empowering and learning processes that lead to pro- 179
 Wednesday 30th August · 15:00 – 16:30 h

environmental behaviour in a wider context. Finally, we will analyse the educative role of sustainable
consumption initiatives.

Conclusions: Grassroots social innovations demonstrate that individuals are able to deal with barriers
and unsustainable habits fostering transitions to low carbon societies. The studied community-based
initiatives are (still) minority networks that may play a notable role as creators of new cultural frames
that turn into social referents for the rest of the society.

References:
Carrus (2015). Deliverable 3.2: Report on the relationships among psychological, economic and political/policy factors. GLAMURS
Project. 613420 FP7 SSH.2013.2.1
Cooke, A. N., Fielding, K. S., & Louis, W. R. (2015). Environmentally active people: the role of autonomy, relatedness, competence
and self-determined motivation. Environmental Education Research, 1-27.
de Groot, W. T., Bonaiuto, M., Dedeurwaerdere, T., & Knippenberg, L. W. J. (2015). A Theory of Committed Action for Nature: Key
outcomes of the BIOMAT project . http://www.biomot.eu/docs/A%20theory%20of%20Committed%20Action.pdf
Dumitru, A., Diaz, A., Martinez, H. & García Mira, R. Case studies in sustainable lifestyles and consumption initiatives. Deliverable
5.3: Case Study Report. Galicia, Spain.
http://glamurs.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/WP5_Deliverable_5.3.pdf
Dumitru, A.; García-Mira,A.; Macsinga, I.; Pandur, V.; Spekkink, W. & Quist, J. (2015). Sustainable lifestyles through the lens of
time and space. In: Lorek, S. & Backhaus, J. (Eds.), Beyond Transition? Understanding and Achieving Sustainable Consumption
through Social Innovation. Proceedings of the SCORAI Europe Workshop, 17 November 2015, Vienna, Austria, pp 44-55.
Sustainable Consumption Transitions Series, Issue 5. http://d-nb.info/1080593063/34
Dumitru, A., Lema-Blanco, I., Kunze, I. & García-Mira, R. (2016). The Slow Food Movement, A case-study report. TRANSIT: EU
SSH.2013.3.2-1 Grant agreement no: 613169. http://www.transitsocialinnovation.eu/content/original/Book%20covers/Local%20
PDFs/193%20Slowfood_complete_report16-03-2016.pdf
Flick, U. (2009). An introduction to qualitative research. Sage.
García-Mira, R., Dumitru, A., Alonso-Betanzos, A., Sánchez-Maroño, N., Fontenla-Romero, Ó., Craig, T., & Polhill, J. G. (2016).
Testing Scenarios to Achieve Workplace Sustainability Goals Using Backcasting and Agent-Based Modeling. Environment and
Behavior, 0013916516673869.
Gifford, R., Kormos, C., & McIntyre, A. (2011). Behavioral dimensions of climate change: drivers, responses, barriers, and
interventions. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 2(6), 801-827.
Hielscher, S., Seyfang, G., & Smith, A. (2013). Grassroots innovations for sustainable energy: exploring niche development
processes among community energy initiatives. Innovations in Sustainable Consumption: New Economics, Socio-technical
Transitions, and Social Practices, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing, 133-158.
Jackson, T. (2005). Motivating sustainable consumption: a review of evidence on consumer behaviour and behavioural change: a
report to the Sustainable Development Research Network. Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey.
Knippenberg, L. (2015). A theory of committed action for nature: interdisciplinary explorations. http://www.biomotivation.eu/docs/
BIOMOT%20Booklet%20WP4%20Draft%20June%202015,%202.0.pdf
Madill, A., & Gough, B. (2008). Qualitative research and its place in psychological science. Psychological methods, 13(3), 254.
Omann, I.; Mock, M.; Polzin, C.; Rauschmayer, F. (2016). Deliverable 5.1: Report on Sustainable Lifestyles Initiatives in 7 Case
Studies.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and
well-being. American psychologist, 55(1), 68.
Schwartz, S. H. (1977). Normative influences on altruism1. Advances in experimental social psychology, 10, 221-279.
Suriñach, R. (2012). Innovaciones comunitarias en sostenibilidad¿ Cómo lidera la sociedad civil? (Community innovations in
sustainability, How civil society leads?. In: A. Porro González, (coord.), Informe Consumo y Estilos de Vida. Cambio Global España
2020/2050, pp. 124-138. Madrid: CRIC y CCEIM.
Uzzell, D., Räthzel, N., García-Mira, R., & Dumitru, A. (2017). Global Challenges for Environmental Psychology: The Place of
Labor and Production. In Handbook of environmental psychology and quality of life research (pp. 559-574). Springer International
Publishing.

PSII-07 HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR Room: -1.2

126 An ecosystems approach to indigenous mental health: Psychological resilience in

the traditional cree food system
Spiegelaar, N.
PhD Candidate of the University of Toronto, Canada

Keywords: ecological psychology; resilience; indigenous food systems; land-based healing

Abstract:
Introduction: Remote indigenous communities of northern Canada have disproportionately higher
incidences of mental health struggles1 derived from abusive practices in the colonial residential
schooling system.2, 3, 4 They also underwent an abrupt transition from an autonomous and communal
subsistence in the ecological environment, to an externally imposed and import-based commercial
food system.5, 6 I work with the indigenous Cree of the James Bay region whose subjective well-being
180
is synonymous with the health of the land and is enhanced by an ability to participate in traditional food