From Values to Moral Readiness: Repositioning the Value-Identity-Personal Norm Model

Abstract

The Value-Identity-Personal Norm (VIP) model is a well-known psychological framework for explaining pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) through intrinsic moral motivation. The VIP model positions environmental self-identity (ESI) as a crucial mechanism that connects biospheric values (BV) to personal norms, which builds on Value Theory, Identity Theory, and the Norm Activation Model (NAM). Despite the increasing use of the VIP, it remains theoretically understudied with respect to the overlap between the construct, linear causal assumptions, uncertainty surrounding personal norms, and limited consideration of contextual constraints. This paper proposes a theoretical repositioning of the VIP model by rigorously examining its underlying presumptions and internal logic. This research shows how these issues highlight the fundamental tensions in the conceptualisation and relationship among values, identity, and personal norms, rather than treating them as mere constraints. This paper also offers a more coherent and flexible understanding of the VIP model by clarifying construct boundaries, re-examining the causal role of identity and personal norms, and emphasising the need to accept conceptual effects. By doing so, it improves the model’s theoretical coherence and broadens its applicability across diverse contexts of pro-environmental research.