Common Human Identity (CHI) is a superordinate, all-inclusive social identity through which individuals perceive all humans as ingroup members. Based on social identity theories, it is postulated that CHI promotes prosocial and cooperative behavior, and transcends one’s self-interests to other people’s welfare. In the present research, I argue that CHI may have a role in the mitigation of environmental issues, which require a focus on long-term collective welfare instead of immediate individual gains. The primary objective of the current research was to clarify past findings on the positive association between CHI and pro-environmental behavior (PEB). This was achieved with a study using a Hong Kong Chinese undergraduate sample (Study 1) and another study using a diverse America...[ Read more ]

Common Human Identity (CHI) is a superordinate, all-inclusive social identity through which individuals perceive all humans as ingroup members. Based on social identity theories, it is postulated that CHI promotes prosocial and cooperative behavior, and transcends one’s self-interests to other people’s welfare. In the present research, I argue that CHI may have a role in the mitigation of environmental issues, which require a focus on long-term collective welfare instead of immediate individual gains. The primary objective of the current research was to clarify past findings on the positive association between CHI and pro-environmental behavior (PEB). This was achieved with a study using a Hong Kong Chinese undergraduate sample (Study 1) and another study using a diverse American community sample (Study 2). Another objective of the research was to explore the role of identity-message congruence on this relationship in the context of a specific environmental issue – the food waste problem. This was achieved with an experiment (Study 3). The results do not support a moderating effect of message framing. CHI was found to be a significant predictor of food waste reduction behavior; however, it did not predict support for public policies addressing the food waste problem. Overall, these findings offer a foundation for further understanding of CHI. Theoretical and practical implications on persuasion in promoting behavioral change in pro-environmental issues are discussed.