Date of Graduation

Summer 2010

Degree

Master of Science in Psychology

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Chantal Levesque

Abstract

Voluntary simplicity is an intentional move to abandon materialism and instead focus on self-sustainability and ecologically responsible behaviors. Previous research, such as Brown and Kasser (2005), has shown that voluntary simplifiers report higher levels of overall well-being, more intrinsic life values (related to basic needs satisfaction), and more positive environmental behaviors. This study examines the relationships of voluntary simplicity, as influenced by self-determination, on overall well-being. This study used an online questionnaire with a college sample (N = 534) to assess whether students who engage in environmentally sustainable behaviors and who were positively motivated to do so would report higher levels of motivation and well-being in their daily lives. This is in contrast to students who rarely or never engaged in environmentally sustainable behaviors, and are not self-determined towards these behaviors. It was hypothesized that voluntary simplifiers would report the effects of self-determination towards the environment as having a positive impact on other elements of their lives. Overall the data suggest that being self-determined towards environmentally sustainable behaviors can increase well-being, create higher levels of basic needs satisfaction, and have a positive impact on life aspirations.

Keywords

voluntary simplicity, environment, sustainable, well-being, self-determination

Subject Categories

Psychology

Copyright

© Tess Kathleen Hagg

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