Do Value Orientations and Beliefs Play a Positive Role in Shaping Personal Norms for Urban Green Space Conservation?

Abstract

Urban Green Spaces (UGS) have a huge contribution to the health of urban ecosystems. However, they are threatened by numerous factors such as rapid urbanization, resource depletion, and climate change. These factors are inextricably linked to human behaviors, guided by the values and beliefs of people. According to value-belief-norm theory and norm activation model, personal norms are defined as self-expectations of pro-environmental behavior influenced by the ascription of responsibility and awareness of consequences in values and beliefs. When the conditions of responsibility and consequence awareness are met, individuals are more likely to experience a sense of moral obligation to exhibit environmentally responsible behavior. To address conservation and better enable UGS to have a positive function, we must explore how to promote the development of personal norms that are beneficial to UGS conservation. This study explored the influence that UGS values and beliefs have on personal norms. A questionnaire was administered to 1641 urban residents in Beijing, China, and Partial Least Square Structural Modeling was used to assess the causal relationship in the formation of personal norms on UGS conservation. The results showed that intrinsic, instrumental, and relational UGS value orientations contribute directly or indirectly to the formation of personal norms for the conservation of UGS through environmental beliefs as mediators, with the most significant effect being the relational value orientations. The results of the study can provide scientific guidance for future public participation in UGS conservation.

Understanding residents' engagement for the protection of urban green spaces by enriching the value‐belief‐norm theory with relational values—A case study of Munich (Germany)

“…the interdependence between people and nature which guide their perceptions and actions towards the natural world) empower active stewards for urban parks in Portland, Oregon. Su et al (2022) confirm this finding by showing the important role of the relational values of residents in the formation of moral obligations to protect UGS in Beijing, China.…”

“…Empirical research on causal relationships between psychological constructs and individuals' pro-environmental actions is still limited with regard to (i) urban nature (i.e. Jaung et al, 2021;Su et al, 2022) and particularly in the context of specific types of UGS (i.e. gardens, parks and flower beds; Saito et al, 2021), (ii) actual behaviour-action (not intention; Fornara et al, 2020) and (iii) activists for nature (Ives et al, 2017).…”

“…The VBN theory devised by Stern et al (1999) has been the dominating theory to study pro-environmental behaviours in many fields (Fornara et al, 2020;Su et al, 2022;van der Werff & Steg, 2016) showing to be also effective in explaining urban nature experiences (Jaung et al, 2021). It represents a causal process including a set of psychological dimensions that can predict pro-environmental behaviour: individuals holding basic values become aware of both positive and negative consequences of a situation or own actions on the environment, which further activates a sense of ascribed responsibility (beliefs) that further triggers feelings of moral obligations to behave properly (De Groot & Steg, 2007).…”

Participatory intention and behavior towards riparian peri-urban forests management; an extended theory of planned behavior application

“…Personal attitudes toward participation, SNs, and individuals’ perceived control over their ability to participate are also influential in shaping individuals’ participatory intentions and behaviors in urban and PUFs. These factors serve as strong incentives for pro-environmental intentions and behaviors ( Su et al, 2022 ).…”

Character Education and Student Morality : An Analysis of Personal Commitment, Goal Orientation, and Self-Efficacy

“…Higher education institutions must create an academic environment that fosters character development without hindering academic freedom and creativity, a significant challenge in Islamic higher education (Wight, 2021;Kabasakal Badamchi, 2022;Amit, 2003). Educational institutions must ensure students develop strong morals (akhlaq) to produce high-quality graduates in line with legislative mandates and institutional imperatives (Sallis, 2002). Morality, seen as a universal benchmark for behavior, should be prioritized over personal and external interests (Fabiano, 2021).…”