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Motivating Climate Action: The Effects of Intrinsic Motivation on Willingness to Pay for Clean Energy Policy
Metzger, Ava
Metzger, Ava
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Abstract
Public support is a critical determinant of the success and durability of climate policy.
While traditional economic models approach valuation of policies through the lens of cost
preferences, this neglects a complex interplay of psychological processes that underlie decision
making. Research in behavioral psychology identifies mechanisms such as moral values,
identity, and perceived autonomy as central drivers of pro-environmental behavior. However,
limited empirical research integrates these fields to build an interdisciplinary understanding of
motivational mechanisms in climate policy contexts. The present study investigates the effects
of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational interventions on policy support and willingness to pay
for clean energy policy. Using a randomized experimental design (N = 1,303), participants
were assigned to intrinsic, extrinsic, and control conditions and asked whether they would
support a proposed clean energy policy at randomly varied increases in annual electricity costs.
Policy support was assessed as a function of the treatment condition and cost level, yielding
estimated willingness to pay thresholds. Further assessment incorporated demographic
controls and covariate analysis by climate belief.
Results indicated that higher costs significantly reduce policy support. Intrinsic motivation
interventions increased policy support relative to the control group, and extrinsic motivation
interventions yielded no significant effect. These treatment differences are reflected in the
higher willingness to pay under the intrinsic condition ($421.38) relative to extrinsic ($361.71)
and control conditions ($330.64). This pattern is maintained across climate belief subgroups
and demographic controls, though confidence intervals indicate uncertainty regarding the
magnitude of effects. Findings suggest that willingness to pay reflects internal motivational
processes in addition to economic tradeoffs. Consistent with Self-Determination Theory,
warm glow, and cognitive dissonance frameworks, motivation interventions that increase the
salience of values and identity elicit durable public support for climate policy.
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2026-05-08
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Environmental Studies