Intergenerational transmission of pro-environmental behaviors: do grandparents’ environmental behaviors influence grandchildren?

To understand the intergenerational transmission of pro-environmental behaviors within a family, we employ a nationally representative survey of young adults and their parents living within the United States. We analyze intergenerational transmission for three generations with information on children, parent, and grandparent behavior. Our findings suggest that strong relationships exist across three generations. Mediation analysis shows that parents significantly mediate the strong association between children and grandparents for most behaviors. These results imply that pro-environmental behaviors inculcated between generational dyads are robust and suggest educational efforts directed at quotidian household behaviors.