Bridging the Attitude–Behavior Gap

Implications from a Governance Perspective for Education for Sustainable Development

Bibliographic Data

ID22044802
AuthorsChristof Altmann (Goethe University Frankfurt), Rico Hermkes (0000-0002-4806-1975, Goethe University Frankfurt)
Year2026
Volume16
Issue6
Pages875
Publication date2026-06-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducation Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/educsci16060875
OpenAlexW7163357952
LanguageEN
References cited43

Sustainability challenges are frequently characterized by a persistent attitude–behavior gap, particularly within competitive frameworks. This phenomenon is exemplified by voluntary carbon offsetting in aviation, where passengers’ stated willingness to pay consistently exceeds their actual transactional behavior. Prevailing strategies in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) typically address this discrepancy by either reinforcing individual value systems or advocating for post-capitalist shifts to circumvent market competition. Given the inherent limitations of both approaches, this paper delineates an alternative conceptual path. By transposing a research framework from the field of institutional ethics to the domain of ESD, we aim to integrate this perspective into the academic ESD discourse and facilitate its practical implementation. We present a simple game-theoretic ESD model from which we derive specific guidelines for practical application. We contend that sustainability issues are best addressed by restructuring the ‘rules of the game.’ Consequently, this necessitates a strategic shift in ESD: prioritizing the analysis of incentive structures, governance mechanisms and their modification over a sole reliance on individual motivational drivers

Conceptual framework · Corporate governance · Incentive · Phenomenon · Restructuring · Sustainability · Sustainable development · Transactional leadership · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Environmental Sustainability in Business · Sustainability in Higher Education

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