From Ego to Eco
Saturday 28th February 2026
I have previously discussed the concept of nature-connection where connection with nature can be viewed as an individual’s sense of their relationship with the natural world going beyond mere contact or exposure to nature and involving a sense of meaningful involvement in something larger than oneself. However, contemporary urbanisation and increased use of technology have reached a point where many people now feel separate from nature and connection with nature is reported to be at an all time low in the UK, despite an increase in interest in nature-connection following the pandemic restrictions. A consequence of people perceiving themselves as aside from nature rather than a part of nature is that this influences the way that we view nature and the resources that nature holds - studies have shown that people with a high level of nature-connectedness are more likely to act in environmentally-friendly ways as well as enjoying better mental health.
It is widely recognised that a lot of the problems in the world today stem from the insatiable appetite that people in the more affluent countries have to indiscriminately consume the world’s finite resources. Not only does this affect the natural world and our potential future, but these actions and behaviours disproportionately affect the most disadvantaged people in the world. Research from the United Nations Department of Economic & Social Affairs shows us that this initial inequality causes the disadvantaged groups to suffer disproportionately from the adverse effects of things like climate change, resulting in greater subsequent inequality. Rapid deforestation, for example, can lead to increased flooding and the loss of crops, housing and livelihoods.
Evidence shows us that inequality often compels the most disadvantaged groups to live in areas that are more prone to flooding, thus increasing their exposure to flooding caused by climate change. These disadvantaged groups also tend to be more susceptible to the negative effects and damages caused by flooding. For example, their houses are often less well constructed and made from poorer quality, more flimsy material and consequently get completely washed away or become more seriously damaged. In contrast, the houses of the more well off suffer less damage because these are generally made of sturdier materials, such as brick and concrete. Finally, the people in these disadvantaged groups are less able to cope with, and recover from, the damages caused by floods - the rich are able to buy insurance and get compensated for the damages whilst the disadvantaged groups may not be able to afford such insurance and have to absorb the entire loss, leading to greater loss of assets.
The ‘Ego-System’
The situation outlined above is a prime example of what is viewed as the ‘Ego-System’ where people prioritise their wellbeing of themselves and the others in their social strata. In contrast, the ‘Eco-System’ focuses on the wellbeing of all living things. The Ego-System also conceptualises Man (and indeed commonly men) as being at the top of the pyramid and in a more important position than all other creatures and nature itself. The Eco-System on the other hand, conceptualises mankind as an equal component in a more reciprocal and symbiotic relationship with the rest of nature.
Individualism versus Collectivism
We are currently facing an ecological crisis, as well as, or more probably because of, a social crisis of individualism over collectivism. Individualism and collectivism are orientations that can be taken, relating to and describing the differences in beliefs and values ascribed to human behaviours, relationships and human interactions with other humans. In individualistic cultures, personal strength, self-reliance, assertiveness, and independence are seen as the most valuable traits. This contrasts with collectivist cultures where characteristics such as being self-sacrificing, dependable, generous, and helpful to others are of greater importance. Individualistic cultures reinforce that people should be able to solve problems or accomplish goals on their own without having to rely on assistance from others, in contrast to collectivist cultures where people are more likely to sacrifice their own comfort for the greater good of everyone else. Such differences can influence nearly every aspect of behavior ranging from the values ascribed to different careers, the products people buy, and the social issues that they care about. Although often portrayed as diametrically opposing attitudes, most people will exhibit both individualist and collectivist attitudes, tendencies and behaviours.
Individualism is seen as firmly grounded in cost-benefit analysis. The benefits of environmentally responsible behaviours are often longer-term, and rarely benefit the individual in the shorter-term, if at all, whilst the costs, such as price and inconvenience of recycling, tend to be immediate. Individualism and collectivisms therefore have a strong influence on environmental responsibility and behaviours, for example Individualism is more likely to reinforce beliefs about the inconvenience of recycling, due to the immediate costs to the individual, whilst collectivism is more closely aligned to beliefs about the importance of recycling, as it focuses more on group benefits and the impact of behaviours on others in the future. In this way, collectivism is usually seen as more orientated towards addressing environmental issues, and people in collectivist cultures often demonstrate greater environmental self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is the level of belief that we have in our own abilities, specifically our ability to overcome obstacles and complete a task successfully. General self-efficacy refers to our overall belief in our ability to succeed, but there are many more specific forms of self-efficacy as well, such as environmental self-efficacy in solving environmental problems, and this is an important issue to address further.
Perceived Consumer Effectiveness and ‘Locus of Control’
People who believe that their environmentally conscious actions will have an impact are much more likely to engage in ‘green behaviours’ than those who do not. This is sometimes referred to as ‘Perceived Consumer Effectiveness’ when viewed from a marketing perspective, or ‘Locus of Control’ from an eco-psychological perspective. Locus of control is a concept in psychology that refers to a person’s belief in their ability to affect outcomes through their actions. This concept is usually viewed as having two categories: internal and external. A person with an internal locus of control will most commonly attribute success to his or her own efforts and abilities, and consequently is usually more motivated. A person with an external locus of control more often attributes his or her success to luck or fate, and is consequently be less likely to make the effort needed to bring about change. People with an external locus of control are also more likely to experience anxiety since they believe that they are not in control of their lives. From an eco-psychological perspective, ‘locus of control’ refers primarily to the relationship that humans have with their environment in terms of their belief in their ability to mitigate their environmental impact, so someone with an internal locus of control is more likely to believe that they can bring about environmental change, and that their actions and efforts to ensure this are worthwhile.
Historically, collectivism has been more dominant, and in contemporary cultures that value environmental stewardship and have remained more in tune with their environment, it generally remains so. We therefore need to explore how to support attitudinal change in Western culture from an Individualistic to a more Collectivist approach, and whilst we may feel that as individuals, we cannot create great change, many individuals making small changes can equate to much larger changes. Becoming more in-tune with our environment can also change our perspectives on the value of making necessary changes, which is why we believe that activities such as Forest Bathing (Shirin yoku) and nature-mindfulness are increasingly important in today’s world.
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