Psychological drivers of Sustainability: Examining happiness and progress toward the SDGs
Sustainability is a global imperative, yet the role of human psychology in shaping progress toward sustainable development remains underexplored. This study investigates the relationship between psychological factors – specifically life satisfaction and happiness – and the achievement of Sustainable...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Cleaner Production Letters |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666791625000120 |
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| author | Yimei Man |
| author_facet | Yimei Man |
| author_sort | Yimei Man |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sustainability is a global imperative, yet the role of human psychology in shaping progress toward sustainable development remains underexplored. This study investigates the relationship between psychological factors – specifically life satisfaction and happiness – and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Utilising data from the World Happiness Index (WHI) and the 17 SDGs across 131 countries from 2011 to 2021, this research explores how subjective well-being influences national progress toward sustainable development. Using Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares to address serial correlation and endogeneity, the analysis reveals that higher levels of life satisfaction and happiness are positively associated with progress on socioeconomic sustainable goals, but are insignificantly or negatively correlated with environmental sustainable goals. These findings highlight the dual role of human psychology in advancing sustainable development: while fostering societal well-being drives progress on certain goals, it can pose challenges for environmental objectives. Policymakers should incorporate psychological dimensions into sustainability frameworks to better align human motivations with the achievement of sustainable goals, fostering an approach that balances well-being with environmental stewardship. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ddeb8edb6ac8455e8532e2d57b3be7de |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2666-7916 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cleaner Production Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-ddeb8edb6ac8455e8532e2d57b3be7de2025-08-02T04:47:53ZengElsevierCleaner Production Letters2666-79162025-12-019100103Psychological drivers of Sustainability: Examining happiness and progress toward the SDGsYimei Man0Department of Accountancy & Finance, School of Business of the University of Otago, Clyde Street, Dunedin 9016, New ZealandSustainability is a global imperative, yet the role of human psychology in shaping progress toward sustainable development remains underexplored. This study investigates the relationship between psychological factors – specifically life satisfaction and happiness – and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Utilising data from the World Happiness Index (WHI) and the 17 SDGs across 131 countries from 2011 to 2021, this research explores how subjective well-being influences national progress toward sustainable development. Using Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares to address serial correlation and endogeneity, the analysis reveals that higher levels of life satisfaction and happiness are positively associated with progress on socioeconomic sustainable goals, but are insignificantly or negatively correlated with environmental sustainable goals. These findings highlight the dual role of human psychology in advancing sustainable development: while fostering societal well-being drives progress on certain goals, it can pose challenges for environmental objectives. Policymakers should incorporate psychological dimensions into sustainability frameworks to better align human motivations with the achievement of sustainable goals, fostering an approach that balances well-being with environmental stewardship.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666791625000120Sustainability development goalsSocioeconomic sustainability goalsEnvironmental sustainability goalsSubjective well-being |
| spellingShingle | Yimei Man Psychological drivers of Sustainability: Examining happiness and progress toward the SDGs Cleaner Production Letters Sustainability development goals Socioeconomic sustainability goals Environmental sustainability goals Subjective well-being |
| title | Psychological drivers of Sustainability: Examining happiness and progress toward the SDGs |
| title_full | Psychological drivers of Sustainability: Examining happiness and progress toward the SDGs |
| title_fullStr | Psychological drivers of Sustainability: Examining happiness and progress toward the SDGs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychological drivers of Sustainability: Examining happiness and progress toward the SDGs |
| title_short | Psychological drivers of Sustainability: Examining happiness and progress toward the SDGs |
| title_sort | psychological drivers of sustainability examining happiness and progress toward the sdgs |
| topic | Sustainability development goals Socioeconomic sustainability goals Environmental sustainability goals Subjective well-being |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666791625000120 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yimeiman psychologicaldriversofsustainabilityexamininghappinessandprogresstowardthesdgs |