Impact perception and visibility are two sides of the same ecological challenge. We propose eco-agency as a cognitive precursor to pro-environmental behaviour, referring to the understanding of one's ability to affect the environment. It is rooted in the reflective dimension of sense of agency and self-efficacy theory, where individuals appraise their potential to act, extending these foundations to ecological contexts.


Eco-agency bridges environmental psychology, where constructs such as nature connectedness and perceived behavioural control are well established, with human-computer interaction research on how feedback, transparency, and system responsiveness shape agency. By foregrounding the pre-intention phase, eco-agency highlights a critical point for intervention: when individuals reflectively evaluate their potential environmental influence before forming intentions.


We are developing measures that assess reflective understanding of environmental impact capacity, complementing existing instruments while distinguishing eco-agency as a pre-intention construct. These draw on adapted indicators such as perceived control and confidence in effectiveness, aligned with methods for evaluating how interactive systems afford or constrain agency, for example, through feedback clarity, action-outcome transparency, or trust in AI-supported decisions.


This perspective offers complementary insights for applied interventions, from extended reality technologies to artificial intelligence interactions, enabling timely approaches that foster ecological connection rather than distraction. Building on this foundation, we propose design pathways that make ecological processes perceptible, embedding ecosystem data into everyday experience to reinforce presence and capacity to act. Such interventions can take the form of privacy-preserving sensing systems, augmented reality place-based initiatives, and educational programmes.


While eco-agency is shaped by cultural, social, and economic conditions, these strategies may help move environmental discourse toward less polarised settings and nurture constructive engagement. Framed as a measurable and actionable construct, eco-agency offers a route to strengthening human-nature relations across education, technology, and policy, ensuring nature remains salient in both physical and digitally mediated environments.