The Influence of Norm Perception on Pro-Environmental Behavior: A Comparison between the Moderating Roles of Traditional Media and Social Media

Climate change poses a huge threat. Social networking sites (SNSs) have become sources of human–environment interactions and shaped the societal perception of climate change and its effect on society. This study, based on the extended parallel process model, aims to examine the effect of exposure to climate change-related information on SNSs on the pro-environmental behaviors of individuals. The study examines the mediation effect of fear of victimization from climate change between the exposure to climate change-related information on SNSs and pro-environmental behaviors, including the moderation effect of attention deficit and decision-making self-efficacy with the help of appropriate instruments. A total sample of 406 reliable questionnaires were collected from students using SNSs in China, and data were analyzed through SPSS and AMOS. Results indicate that the exposure to climate change-related information on SNSs has a direct positive effect on users’ pro-environmental behaviors (β = 0.299, p < 0.01). Fear of victimization from climate change also mediates the relationship between exposure to climate change-related information on SNSs and pro-environmental behaviors (β = 0.149, SE = 0.029, p < 0.01). In addition, attention deficit moderates the relationship of exposure to climate change-related information on SNSs with fear of victimization from climate change (β = −0.090, p ≤ 0.01) and pro-environmental behaviors (β = −0.090, p ≤ 0.05). Similarly, the relationship between fear of victimization from climate change and pro-environmental behaviors is moderated by decision-making self-efficacy (β = 0.267, p ≤ 0.01). The findings offer implications for media organizations and government policy makers, who should post or spread environmental information through the most trustworthy media, with trustworthy sources, in an effective manner, and without exaggerated adverse impacts.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Use of Social Networking Sites and Pro-Environmental Behaviors: A Mediation and Moderation Model

Shah

Lü

Ghani

2021

“…The effects of newspaper and radio exposure are inconclusive; these media may reduce or increase fatalistic cancer beliefs [ 62 , 63 ]. Frequent Internet use has not been found to significantly influence or reduce the belief that cancer is fatal [ 64 ].…”

Section: Theoretical Framework and Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since television and print media exposure enhances fatalistic beliefs while Internet exposure diminishes them [ 68 ], social media may also reduce cancer fatalism perceptions. Furthermore, social media differ from mass media in that they tend to involve interpersonal communication with local, more personally relevant information [ 64 , 70 ], which is positively associated with lower risk perceptions and a better knowledge of cancer [ 71 , 72 ].…”

Section: Theoretical Framework and Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Media Exposure, Cancer Beliefs, and Cancer-Related Information-Seeking or Avoidance Behavior Patterns in China

2021

This study explored the relationships between media exposure, cancer beliefs, and cancer information-seeking or information-avoidance behaviors. Based on the planned risk information-seeking model and its extended framework, two predictive models were constructed: one for cancer information seeking and the other for cancer information avoidance. A structural equation modeling strategy was applied to survey data from China HINTS 2017 (n = 3090) to compare the impact of traditional mass media and social media exposure to cancer-related information on cancer information-seeking and information-avoidance behaviors. The study findings suggest that health-related information exposure through different media channels may generate distinctive information-seeking or information-avoidance behaviors based on various cancer beliefs. Additionally, the findings indicate that social media exposure to health-related and cancer curability beliefs does not lead to cancer information avoidance; both mass media and social media exposure encourage people to seek cancer-related information. Cancer fatalism is positively associated with cancer information-seeking and avoiding intentions, suggesting that negative cancer beliefs predict seemingly contradictory yet psychologically coherent information intentions and behaviors.

“…In the past, various factors have been considered that affect PEB such as personal norms, attitudes, intentions, value orientations, environmental concerns, self-identity, etc. [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Psychological empowerment can also play an essential role in improving ecological behaviours, as it empowers an individual with the feeling of “the power to change things” and motivates consumers to preserve the environment [ 18 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Environmental Moral Education on Pro-Environmental Behaviour: Do Psychological Empowerment and Islamic Religiosity Matter?

Begum

Liu

Haider

et al. 2021

In light of increasing concerns about global environmental problems, environmental moral education is assumed to have a significant influence on the pro-environmental behaviour of students. Within the past decade, several higher education institutes have acknowledged the importance of integrating sustainability into the educational curriculum to have a focused and explicit impact on society. The current study investigated the relationship between environmental moral education and pro-environmental behaviour while drawing upon insights from the conservation of resource theory. The relationship among the aforementioned variables was studied for the mediating role of psychological empowerment and the moderating effect of Islamic religiosity. Data were collected from 429 university students with a cross-sectional approach. The data were analysed using “structural equation modelling” and “PROCESS” analytical techniques. The results of the study followed the predicted conceptual model, that is, environmental moral education was positively related to pro-environmental behaviour. Furthermore, psychological empowerment partially mediated the aforementioned relationship, while Islamic religiosity moderated the relationships between environmental moral education and pro-environmental behaviour as well as between environmental moral education and psychological empowerment. These findings reinforce the importance of environmental moral education and Islamic religiosity in understanding the Muslim student’s ecological behaviours.