Under the Dome: Air Pollution, Wellbeing, and Pro-Environmental Behaviour Among Beijing Residents

Are happier adolescents more willing to protect the environment? Empirical evidence from Programme for International Student Assessment 2018

A large number of existing studies have discussed the potential factors affecting pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) in adolescents. However, few studies have focused on the possible impact of adolescents' subjective wellbeing (SWB) on their PEBs. Why and how adolescents' SWB affects their PEBs remains a puzzle. To unravel this puzzle, this paper aims to establish a suitable instrumental variable (IV) to correctly estimate the contribution of adolescents' SWB to their PEBs. Using the international data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 's Programme for International Student Assessment 2018, we construct a unique dataset of eight countries or economies, which includes 56,374 samples related to the SWB and PEBs of 15-year-old students. In this paper, the days of physical education classes in school per week are used as the IV. Through a two-stage least squares method, we find that the contribution of adolescents' SWB to PEBs is significantly positive. We also find that the pathway by which SWB improves PEBs works through adolescents' self-efficacy. Furthermore, the results indicate that the positive impact of SWB on PEBs is more pronounced among adolescents with better peer relationships and stronger multicultural values. Our findings highlight the influence of positive affects in cultivating adolescent' PEBs and the importance of growing up surrounded by happiness.

Impact of ambient air pollution on outdoor employees’ performance: Mediating role of anxiety

This paper aims to examine the direct and indirect impact of ambient air pollution (AAP) on employees’ performance. This study has used cross sectional survey design to collect the data from the outdoor employees of the pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan. The data were collected in time lags from 299. Partial least squares- structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach was applied to analyze the data. The results show that AAP has a significant negative impact on the employees’ performance, and anxiety partially mediates the association between AAP and employees’ performance. This study reveals that AAP brings anxiety among outdoor employees, which in turn decreases their working performance. The implications, limitations, and future research directions are presented in the last section of this study.

Predictive Analysis of the Pro-Environmental Behaviour of College Students Using a Decision-Tree Model

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered the achievement of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Pro-environmental behaviour contributes to the achievement of the SDGs, and UNESCO considers college students as major contributors. There is a scarcity of research on college student pro-environmental behaviour and even less on the use of decision trees to predict pro-environmental behaviour. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the validity of applying a modified C5.0 decision-tree model to predict college student pro-environmental behaviour and to determine which variables can be used as predictors of such behaviour. To address these questions, 334 university students in Guangdong Province, China, completed a questionnaire that consisted of seven parts: the Perceived Behavioural Control Scale, the Social Identity Scale, the Innovative Behaviour Scale, the Sense of Place Scale, the Subjective Norms Scale, the Environmental Activism Scale, and the willingness to behave in an environmentally responsible manner scale. A modified C5.0 decision-tree model was also used to make predictions. The results showed that the main predictor variables for pro-environmental behaviour were willingness to behave in an environmentally responsible manner, innovative behaviour, and perceived behavioural control. The importance of willingness to behave in an environmentally responsible manner was 0.1562, the importance of innovative behaviour was 0.1404, and the perceived behavioural control was 0.1322. Secondly, there are 63.88% of those with high pro-environmental behaviour. Therefore, we conclude that the decision tree model is valid in predicting the pro-environmental behaviour of college student. The predictor variables for pro-environmental behaviour were, in order of importance: Willingness to behave in an environmentally responsible manner, Environmental Activism, Subjective Norms, Sense of Place, Innovative Behaviour, Social Identity, and Perceived Behavioural Control. This study establishes a link between machine learning and pro-environmental behaviour and broadens understanding of pro-environmental behaviour. It provides a research support with improving people’s sustainable development philosophy and behaviour.

The Impact of Air Pollution on Residents' Happiness: A Study on the Moderating Effect Based on Pollution Sensitivity

Promoting people's happiness is a vital goal of public policy, and air pollution, as the focus of public opinion, is an important influencing factor of residents' happiness. Although previous literature has explored the relationship between air pollution and happiness, the impact of pollution sensitivity on the relationship has so far received little attention. This paper uses the 2016 China Labor-force Dynamics Survey database (CLDS) to study the impact of air pollution on personal happiness and dissects the moderating effect of air pollution sensitivity from the stock and incremental perspectives. The results found that (1) there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between air pollution and residents' happiness, such that happiness increases and then decreases with increasing air pollution. The PM10 concentration at the turning point is 119.69 μg/m3, which exceeds the national secondary standard limit (70 μg/m3) by 70.99% and is at the intermediate stage of mild pollution, exceeding the WHO recommended standard (20 μg/m3) by 498.45%, far higher than the international standard recommended level; (2) both air pollution stock sensitivity and incremental sensitivity have a significant positive moderating effect on the relationship between air pollution and happiness, and pollution sensitivity exacerbates the negative effect of air pollution on residents' happiness by shifting the curve turning point to the left and steepening the curve shape; (3) in addition, the effect of air pollution on different groups is significantly heterogeneous, with lower-age and male groups more likely to have lower happiness due to air pollution; the positive moderating effect of pollution sensitivity is more significant in lower-age, female, and higher-income groups. Therefore, in order to enhance residents' happiness, the government should not only improve air quality, but also focus on helping residents establish an appropriate subjective perception of air quality.

Does Internet use improve farmers' perception of environmental pollution? Evidence from rural China

People's weak perceptions of environmental pollution (PEP) threaten the achievement of the Global Sustainable Goals, especially in rural areas. However, Internet use may improve farmer's PEP. Thus, based on survey data from rural China, this study uses an endogenous switching regression model (ESRM) to remove the selection bias and quantitatively evaluate the impact of Internet use on the farmers' PEP. The results of this study show that (1) for group of farmers using the Internet, if they do not use the Internet, their PEP may decrease by 91.004% and (2) for group of farmers not using the Internet, if they use the Internet, their PEP may increase by 100.160%. These results provide the evidence for developing countries aiming to improve their residents' PEP and provide a new path for solving the problem of global environmental pollution and realizing sustainability.

Will Smog Cause Mental Health Problems? Indication from a Microsurvey of 35 Major Cities in China

Using the survey data of 21,861 participants from 35 major cities in China in 2018 and 2019, the effect of air quality on participants’ mental health was empirically tested based on the ordered probit model. The results showed that smog can significantly influence the mental health of participants. The better the air quality, the better the participants’ mental health, while poor air quality results in poor mental health. The older and higher-paid participants demonstrated poorer mental health. Additionally, for different health conditions, the air quality had different effects on the participants’ mental health. The healthier the participants, the more sensitive their mental health to changes in air pollution; the poorer the physical condition of the participants, the less sensitive their mental health to changes in air quality. Therefore, we need to more comprehensively and scientifically understand the effect of air quality on health. We need to pay attention not only to the adverse effects of smog on participants’ physical health, but also to its effects on participants’ mental health to improve both the physical and mental health of participants by improving the air quality.

Does environmental pollution influence household asset allocation? Evidence from China

This paper establishes a causal relation between households' decision of asset allocation and environmental pollution based on urban PM2.5 concentration data and a nationally representative survey in China. We find a significantly negative effect of environmental pollution on households' demand for housing assets but an inverted U-shaped effect on the demand for risky assets. The effects are remarkably robust to correcting the endogenous issue and a battery of robustness checks. Social interaction can partly explain such an effect of pollution. Furthermore, we also find that because households with lower economic status are at greater risk of exposure to environmental pollution and lack of economic capabilities, their holdings of financial assets decrease more than that of the households with higher economic status when faced with pollution; however, their holdings of low liquid assets declining less.

The Behavioural Paths to Wellbeing: An Exploratory Study to Distinguish Between Hedonic and Eudaimonic Wellbeing From an Activity Perspective

Hedonic wellbeing and eudaimonic wellbeing are two prevailing approaches to wellbeing. However, remarkably little research has distinguished them from an activity perspective; the knowledge of behavioural paths for achieving these two wellbeings is poor. This study first clarified the behavioural contents of the two approaches through a bottom-up method and then analysed the representativeness of activities to indicate to what extent activities contributed to wellness. We found that the paths to hedonic wellbeing and eudaimonic wellbeing overlapped and differed from each other. Furthermore, this study explained why hedonic activity differed from eudaimonic activity by analysing activity characteristics. We found that people reported higher frequency, sensory experience, and affective experience in hedonic activity, whereas they reported higher intellectual experience, behavioural experience, and spiritual experience in eudaimonic activity. Finally, we explored the behavioural pattern of wellbeing pursuit in both an unthreatening situation and a threatening situation. We found that the overlap between the two approaches increased in the threatening situation. Moreover, people in the threatening situation tended to score lower on all characteristics except frequency relative to those in the unthreatening situation. It seemed that the behavioural pattern in the threatening situation was less effective than its equivalent in the unthreatening situation.

Physical activity in an air-polluted environment: behavioral, psychological and neuroimaging protocol for a prospective cohort study (Healthy Aging in Industrial Environment study - Program 4)

BACKGROUND

Air pollution has been linked to increased mortality and morbidity. The Program 4 of the Healthy Aging in Industrial Environment study investigates whether the health and wellbeing benefits of physical activity (PA) can be fully realized in individuals living in highly polluted environments. Herein, we introduce the behavioral, psychological and neuroimaging protocol of the study.

METHODS

This is a prospective cohort study of N = 1500 individuals aged 18-65 years comparing: (1) individuals living in the highly polluted, industrial region surrounding the city of Ostrava (n = 750), and (2) controls from the comparison region with relative low pollution levels in Southern Bohemia (n = 750). Quota sampling is used to obtain samples balanced on age, gender, PA status (60% active runners vs. 40% insufficiently active). Participants are screened and complete baseline assessments through online questionnaires and in-person lab-based assessments of physiological, biomechanical, neuroimaging and cognitive function parameters. Prospective 12-month intensive monitoring of air pollution and behavioral parameters (PA, inactivity, and sleep) follows, with a focus on PA-related injuries and psychological factors through fitness trackers, smartphones, and mobile apps. Subsequently, there will be a 5-year follow-up of the study cohort.

DISCUSSION

The design of the study will allow for (1) the assessment of both short-term variation and long-term change in behavioral parameters, (2) evaluation of the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries and psychological factors impacting behavior and injury recovery, and (3) the impact that air pollution status (and change) has on behavior, psychological resilience, and injury recovery. Furthermore, the integration of MRI techniques and cognitive assessment in combination with data on behavioral, biological and environmental variables will provide an opportunity to examine brain structure and cognitive function in relation to health behavior and air pollution, as well as other factors affecting resilience against and vulnerability to adverse changes in brain structure and cognitive aging. This study will help inform individuals about personal risk factors and decision-makers about the impact of environmental factors on negative health outcomes and potential underlying biological, behavioral and psychological mechanisms. Challenges and opportunities stemming from the timing of the study that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic are also discussed.

Response of plant reflectance spectrum to simulated dust deposition and its estimation model

To quantitatively reflect the relationship between dust and plant spectral reflectance. Dust from different sources in the city were selected to simulate the spectral characteristics of leaf dust. Taking Euonymus japonicus as the research object. Prediction model of leaf dust deposition was established based on spectral parameters. Results showed that among the three different dust pollutants, the reflection spectrum has 6 main reflection peaks and 7 main absorption valleys in 350-2500 nm. A steep reflection platform appears in the 692-763 nm band. In 760-1400 nm, the spectral reflectance gradually decreases with the increase of leaf dust coverage, and the variation range was coal dust > cement dust > pure soil dust. The spectral reflectance in 680-740 nm gradually decreases with the increase of leaf dust coverage. In the near infrared band, the fluctuation amplitude and slope of its first derivative spectrum gradually decrease with the increase of leaf dust. The biggest amplitude of variation was cement dust. With the increase of dust retention, the red edge position generally moves towards short wave direction, and the red edge slope generally decreases. The blue edge position moved to the short wave direction first and then to the long side direction, while the blue edge slope generally shows a decreasing trend. The yellow edge position moved to the long wave direction first and then to the short wave direction (coal dust, cement dust), and generally moved to the long side direction (pure soil dust). The yellow edge slope increases first and then decreases. The R2 values of the determination coefficients of the dust deposition prediction model have reached significant levels, which indicated that there was a relatively stable correlation between the spectral reflectance and dust deposition. The best prediction model of leaf dust deposition was leaf water content index model (y = 1.5019x - 1.4791, R2 = 0.7091, RMSE = 0.9725).

Air-Pollution Control in an Emergent Market: Does It Work? Evidence from Romania

Economic development in a national and international context must be based on a sustainability strategy established on the systemic interaction between the economic, sociocultural, and ecological environments. Today, the world is confronted by many challenges related to climate change and natural-resource flows, including waste streams resulting from economic activity. The need for national and European environmental standards and the work of an environment monitoring authority to reduce air pollution are highlighted by economic and industrial activities. Thus, our research focused on determining if emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen (NO₂), and particulate matter 10 (PM₁₀) are influenced by planned and unplanned inspections made by competent authorities from Romania. We built a regression model that estimates the influence of economic measures imposed by the authorities on reducing industrial air pollution. Preliminary results showed that the number of inspections negatively influences air pollution, indicating that national and local authorities in Romania are striving to maintain air quality and are conducting more inspections when air pollution is high.

The Relationship Between the Actual Level of Air Pollution and Residents' Concern about Air Pollution: Evidence from Shanghai, China

This study explored the relationship between the actual level of air pollution and residents’ concern about air pollution. The actual air pollution level was measured by the air quality index (AQI) reported by environmental monitoring stations, while residents’ concern about air pollution was reflected by the Baidu index using the Internet search engine keywords “Shanghai air quality”. On the basis of the daily data of 2068 days for the city of Shanghai in China over the period between 2 December 2013 and 31 July 2019, a vector autoregression (VAR) model was built for empirical analysis. Estimation results provided three interesting findings. (1) Local residents perceived the deprivation of air quality and expressed their concern on air pollution quickly, within the day on which the air quality index rose. (2) A decline in air quality in another major city, such as Beijing, also raised the concern of Shanghai residents about local air quality. (3) A rise in Shanghai residents’ concern had a beneficial impact on air quality improvement. This study implied that people really cared much about local air quality, and it was beneficial to inform more residents about the situation of local air quality and the risks associated with air pollution.

Environmental attitudes in China: The roles of the Dark Triad, future orientation and place attachment

Given the current environmental situation and social change in China, we explored the relationships between the Dark Triad traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychopathy) and environmental attitudes (beliefs regarding environmentally related issues), and the mediating roles of future orientation (the tendency to plan for meeting long-term objectives) and place attachment (the emotional connection with the place of residence) in these relationships. Using a national sample from all 31 provinces of mainland China (N = 998), we found that the psychometric structure of the Dark Triad was well confirmed under Chinese culture. The Dark Triad as a whole was negatively related to environmental attitudes, but narcissism was not significantly associated with environmental attitudes when the three Dark Triad traits were considered as the predictors simultaneously. Future orientation and place attachment mediated the association between the Dark Triad and environmental attitudes. These findings enrich our understanding of the relevant variables of environmental attitudes and provide references for China's government and other developing countries to improve environmental issues. The uniqueness of narcissism could expand the understanding of the commonality and diversity among the Dark Triad traits, and an efficient tool of the Dark Triad was provided under Chinese culture.

What Should a Social Psychology for Social Change Look Like in Asia? Reflections on Scientific Research, Aimed at Solving Social Problems and Generating New Knowledge With ‘a Theory of Culture Change at Its Centre’

In late 2013, the Asian Association of Social Psychology (AASP) signed an agreement with the Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology (JPRP) to annually produce one themed issue in accordance with both organisations’ missions, for a period of 5 years. For AASP, the annual publication of a themed issue on ‘The Social Psychology of Social Change: Science and Practice in Asia’ was the end result of 2 years of member consultation, undertaken by President-Elect James Liu from 2012 to 2013. This resulted in a Mission Statement, and a directive from members to develop a second publications outlet with an SSCI impact factor, but more focused on applied research, to complement AASP's eponymous flagship journal the Asian Journal of Social Psychology (which is more basic in its research orientation).