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Lifestyles and Perceived Self-Construal: An Exploration of Voluntary Simplicity / Estilos de vida y percepción del self-construal: una aproximación a la simplicidad voluntaria

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Voluntary simplicity is a lifestyle characterised by a voluntary reduction in consumption for personal, social and/or environmental reasons. It may be oriented towards a search for balance or personal meaning (independent self) or towards social change related to environmental awareness or community aspects (interdependent self). Using a multidimensional perspective of self-construal, we experimentally analyse social perceptions surrounding self-construal of those who practise voluntary simplicity compared to a materialistic consumption style and a normative control group. We conducted the first study in Chile ( n = 234) and the second in Spain ( n = 230), subsequently performing a pooled analysis ( n = 464). Those who practise voluntary simplicity were perceived as more interdependent in terms of Self-Construal and Inclusion of Others in the Self compared to those who pursue materialistic consumption but more independent than those who adopt a normative consumption lifestyle.

Source: PsyEcology Bilingual Journal of Environmental Psychology

DOI: 10.1177/21711976261455554

Authors: Pablo Perelló Pérez, Lope Tejero-Peregrina, Eva Moreno-Bella, Guillermo B. Willis

Institutions: Universidad de Granada, Centro de Investigación Mente, Cerebro y Comportamiento

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Education and Sustainability

Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades

Award: G5529930773