Natural Disasters and Preferences for the Environment: Evidence from the Impressionable Years

Do generations affected by natural disasters during the critical years of adolescence and
early adulthood form different preferences towards the environment than generations who are
not? Consistent with the theories of social psychology, we show that an environmental shock
experienced during the impressionable years (18-25 years old) help shape positive environmental
preferences. Individuals tend not to change beliefs in response to natural disasters experienced
in other age ranges. Using information from the General Social Survey and World Values Survey,
we exploit yearly natural disasters variation both within the US and across countries to identify
these effects.