The Interplay of Cognitive and Personality Variables in the Development of Ecological Identity and Healthy Behaviors

Growing environmental threats and public health challenges have intensified interest in the psychological determinants of ecological awareness and sustainable living. While social and cultural influences have been widely studied, the role of cognitive functioning in shaping how individuals perceive, evaluate, and respond to environmental and health-related demands remains underexplored. Core cognitive processes, including executive functions, cognitive control, dual-process reasoning, episodic future thinking, attentional bias, and cognitive appraisal, are increasingly recognized as foundational to environmentally responsible decision-making and the adoption of healthy behavioral routines. Alongside these, personality dimensions such as empathy, emotional intelligence, and pro-environmental values operate as important modulators that shape the expression and efficiency of these cognitive mechanisms. Advances in cognitive science, behavioral neuroscience, and environmental and developmental psychology now offer robust theoretical frameworks and methodological tools to investigate how cognitive and dispositional factors jointly contribute to the formation of ecological identity and health-promoting behaviors across the lifespan.This Research Topic aims to bring together theoretical, empirical, and applied contributions that place cognitive processes at the center of inquiry into ecological identity and healthy behaviors. By examining how cognitive mechanisms interact with personality traits and developmental contexts, this collection seeks to build an integrated understanding of the mental architecture underlying sustainable and health-oriented decision-making. The Topic also aims to identify how educational, cultural, and social environments can be leveraged to support cognitive engagement with ecological and health-related challenges.We welcome original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, theoretical papers, perspectives, brief research reports, and methodological contributions. Suggested themes include, but are not limited to:- Cognitive mechanisms underlying pro-environmental decision-making, including dual-process reasoning, cognitive control, and inhibitory functions- The role of executive functions (working memory, cognitive flexibility, planning) in sustainable behavioral choices and health behavior regulation- Episodic future thinking and mental simulation as cognitive tools for ecological and health-oriented forecasting- Cognitive appraisal processes in the perception of environmental risk, climate anxiety, and adaptive coping- Attentional biases and information processing styles related to environmental and health concerns- Personality traits (e.g., openness, conscientiousness, empathy, emotional intelligence) as modulators of cognitive engagement with ecological and health-related challenges- Cognitive and personality predictors of ecological identity formation across developmental stages- Developmental trajectories of environmental cognition in children, adolescents, and adults- Cognitive underpinnings of climate anxiety and psychological resilience in the face of ecological stressors- Neurocognitive correlates of pro-environmental motivation and sustainable lifestyle adoption- Educational and behavioral interventions targeting cognitive processes to promote ecological awareness and healthy behaviors- Cultural and contextual factors that shape cognitive engagement with sustainability and health promotion- Interdisciplinary models integrating cognitive science, developmental psychology, and environmental psychology Topic editors: Alessia Passanisi, Ugo Pace, Petko Kusev Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82199/the-interplay-of-cognitive-and-personality-variables-in-the-development-of-ecological-identity-and-healthy-behaviors