An experimental analysis of environmentally conscious decision-making for sustainable consumption

This study examines problems of environmentally conscious decision-making in resource consumption using experiments with human subjects. Environmentally conscious behavior is an important issue related to environmental problems such as natural resource exhaustion. However, environmentally conscious behavior must confront the dilemma posed by self-interest and public interest. This study constructs a decision-making model of this situation based on a game-theoretical approach. Experiments with human subjects reveal that a sense of crisis of resource exhaustion can influence decision-making. Vast resources are often consumed and resources decrease furiously when adequate resources remain. Environmentally conscious behavior emerges as resources approach exhaustion.