Scarcity, Risk, and Choice: How Context Shapes Environmental Decision-Making

This thesis explores how subjective scarcity influences environmental decision-making and risk perception, with a particular focus on the moderating role of contextual framing. Drawing on foundational psychological theories—including Prospect Theory, Risk-as-Feelings Theory, and Construal-Level Theory—the study synthesizes existing research on how cognitive and emotional processes shape responses to environmental threats under conditions of perceived scarcity. While financial scarcity tends to reduce engagement in sustainable behavior due to cognitive depletion and a focus on immediate needs, natural resource scarcity may increase environmental concern by making risks feel more urgent and tangible. The literature review reveals that individuals under scarcity exhibit altered risk perception, often prioritizing short-term outcomes over long-term sustainability. However, this effect can be moderated through framing interventions: loss-framed messages, nudging techniques, and efforts to reduce psychological distance can enhance pro-environmental behavior even under constrained conditions. Social norms and cultural context further influence how risks are interpreted and acted upon. Building on these insights, the thesis proposes an integrative conceptual model linking subjective scarcity to environmental behavior via risk perception pathways, moderated by framing strategies and social influences. The model identifies key research gaps and suggests directions for future empirical studies, particularly in experimental and cross-cultural contexts. The findings contribute to behavioral and environmental psychology by providing a deeper understanding of how perceived scarcity affects environmental choices and by offering practical implications for policy, communication, and intervention design aimed at promoting sustainability in vulnerable populations.