Widespread underestimation of others' pro-environmental attitudes in a diverse sample of European stakeholders

Environmental pluralistic ignorance – where people underestimate the pro-environmental attitudes of others – has been referred to as a “false social reality”. This is important because personal attitudes are influenced by the perceived attitudes of others. This study examines the correspondence and covariation between personal and perceived attitudes in a sample (n = 337) combining stakeholders from eight local environmental case studies across Europe (Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Norway, Romania, Slovenia, UK). While 53% of participants reported being willing to accept cuts in their standard of living to protect the environment, their mean perception was that 30% would be willing. While 87% reported an environmentalist self-identity, the mean perception was that 59% would do. Models predict these mismatches to generalise across the majority of similar communities. The mismatches represent pluralistic ignorance, at least in part, and possibly also other misperceptions regarding fellow respondents. Associations between personal and perceived attitudes are clear for both constructs, and consistent across case studies for willingness to sacrifice, but possibly not for environmentalist self-identity. Together with previous results, the findings support an approach to local interventions for environmental change where opinion surveying is conducted early and results used as part of education for change, rather than the typical educate-then-survey approach.