Environmental Identity Scale
Also known as: EIS, Ecological Identity Scale
The Environmental Identity Scale (EIS) measures the degree to which individuals incorporate environmental values and ecological concerns into their sense of self—how central environmental stewardship is to personal identity and self-concept. Developed by Clayton (2003) from identity theory and social psychology, the EIS captures environmental identity as a psychological construct distinct from attitudes, values, or behaviors alone. High EIS scores indicate that individuals view themselves as 'environmental people' for whom conservation and sustainability are integral to who they are. The scale is foundational for research on sustainable behavior motivation, examining why environmental values persist and translate into behavior for some individuals but not others, and evaluating whether environmental interventions shift identity and thus self-motivated behavior change.
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When to use it
Use the EIS when investigating whether environmental interventions shift identity and thus self-sustained behavior change (not just temporary compliance), examining why some individuals adopt and maintain pro-environmental behaviors while others with similar environmental values do not, predicting durability of behavior change across time and competing pressures, understanding developmental and cultural differences in environmental identity formation, and assessing whether environmental education successfully integrates ecological values into youth self-concept. Also valuable for explaining paradoxes in environmental behavior—why high-value individuals sometimes show low behavior, and why some lower-value individuals demonstrate sustained commitment (identity, not attitude, may explain behavior).
Strengths & limitations
- Predicts sustained pro-environmental behavior better than attitudes or values alone; identity-based motivation is intrinsic and self-reinforcing, showing stronger longitudinal stability (r = 0.65–0.75 over 12 months) than intention-based measures (r = 0.40–0.55)
- Explains individual differences in behavior consistency and commitment; high-EIS individuals persist in pro-environmental practices despite inconvenience, cost, or social pressure, while low-EIS individuals abandon practices when barriers arise
- Captures psychological mechanism linking values to behavior; distinguishes between someone who intellectually endorses environmental values vs. someone who has integrated those values into identity, predicting very different behavioral patterns
- Sensitive to developmental and life-stage changes; environmental identity forms through childhood/adolescence experiences in nature and can be deliberately cultivated through identity-supporting interventions (environmental mentorship, outdoor education, identity-affirming social groups)
- Transcends the attitude-behavior gap; explains why some high-concern individuals fail to act (low EIS—concern is intellectual not identity-based) while some moderate-concern individuals are very active (high EIS—environmental stewardship is self-defining)
- Vulnerable to social desirability bias, particularly in environmentally conscious samples where identifying as 'environmental' is socially valued. Anonymous administration and incentive alignment necessary to reduce bias.
- Does not guarantee behavior—individuals with strong environmental identity occasionally engage in environmentally harmful acts due to situational pressures, competing identities (parental, professional), or knowledge gaps about specific impacts
- Cultural and linguistic variation in identity self-identification; in some cultures, strong environmental commitment exists but individuals resist the label 'environmentalist' due to political or cultural connotations. Measure identity via behavioral self-descriptions and values integration alongside explicit self-labels.
- May overestimate identity strength in individuals whose environmental behaviors are recent or externally motivated (e.g., newly required corporate sustainability practices); identity-behavior alignment requires history and intrinsic motivation
- Temporal instability after major life transitions (relocation, employment change, family circumstances); environmental identity can shift significantly following changes in social environment and practical constraints, requiring reassessment post-transition
Frequently asked
Can someone have high environmental values (NEP) but low environmental identity (EIS)?
Yes, commonly. They intellectually endorse ecocentric worldview but haven't integrated it into self-concept. Example: someone with high NEP might believe ecosystems have intrinsic value and human impact is problematic, but not see themselves as 'an environmental person.' This person is less likely to sustain pro-environmental behaviors than someone with moderate NEP but high EIS.
Does high EIS mean someone will always act environmentally?
No, but more consistently. High-EIS individuals show greater behavior consistency and are less likely to abandon practices under pressure. However, conflicting identities (parent needing to drive kids, professional in industry) or lack of knowledge about impacts can override environmental identity. Measure identity-behavior alignment directly, not just identity.
Can environmental identity be cultivated through education or experiences?
Yes. Nature experiences in childhood and adolescence, environmental mentorship, identity-affirming peer groups, and explicit identity reframing all increase EIS. However, single-event nature exposure doesn't build identity; sustained engagement and social support (finding 'environmental community') are necessary. Design interventions for identity development, not just attitude change.
Does being publicly environmental (high public identity) require being authentically environmental (high private identity)?
Not necessarily. Some individuals adopt public pro-environmental behaviors for social status or conformity without private identity alignment—this is 'performative environmentalism' and behavior is less durable. Measure private and public environmental identity separately when examining motivation authenticity.
Sources
- Clayton, S. D. (2003). Environmental identity: A conceptual and an operational definition. In S. D. Clayton & S. Opotow (Eds.), Identity and the natural environment: The psychological significance of nature (pp. 45–65). MIT Press. link ↗
- Clayton, S. D. (2012). The Oxford handbook of environmental and conservation psychology. Oxford University Press. link ↗
- Sparks, P., & Shepherd, R. (1992). Self-identity and the theory of planned behaviour: Assessing the role of identification with 'green consumers.' Social Psychology Quarterly, 55(4), 388–399. DOI: 10.2307/2786955 ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Environmental Identity Scale. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/environmental-psychology/environmental-identity-scale
Which method?
Set this method beside its closest kin and read them side by side — the library lays the books on the table; the choice is yours.
- CNSEnvironmental Psychology↔ compare
- NEP ScaleEnvironmental Psychology↔ compare
- PEBSEnvironmental Psychology↔ compare
- SCSEnvironmental Psychology↔ compare