Using the theory of planned behavior to identify key beliefs underlying pro-environmental behavior in high-school students: Implications for educational interventions

Abstract

Keywords:Theory of planned behavior Environmental behavior Sustainability Empathic concern High school students Beliefs a b s t r a c t This study relied on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to identify the beliefs that influence young people's pro-environmental behavior. High-school students completed a questionnaire regarding the performance of pro-environmental behaviors early in the school year and reported on their behavior toward the end of the year. In addition to the standard TPB constructs, the initial questionnaire assessed descriptive norms, moral norms, sex, and empathic concern. Results revealed an excellent fit for the standard TPB model; attitudes, descriptive subjective norms, and perceptions of control made independent contributions to the prediction of intentions, and intentions together with perceived control predicted behavior. Behavioral, normative, and control beliefs predicted, respectively, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Empathic concern influenced intentions and behavior indirectly by its effects on behavioral, normative, and control beliefs. Examination of the effects of specific beliefs revealed important implications for designing effective behavior-change interventions.

Key Determinants of Waste Separation Intention among Students on Campus

“…The most relevant study are [26] which study on the determinants of recycling intention behaviour among the Malaysian school students: an application of theory of planned behaviour [39] which conduct a study on recycling attitude and behaviour in university campus in Hong Kong. Other than that, there are also few studies that adopted TPB in recycling context [19,22,13].…”

Influencing Factors on the Ecological Protection Behaviors of Entrepreneurial Farmers in Chinese Forest Zones

“…If perceptions of the actual effects of certain behaviors are ecological improvement, it is possible to enhance the perception of ecological problems further. Moreover, Astridde et al [24] assert that tourists' perceived effectiveness of environmental behavior has a significant positive effect, realized through the arousal of ecological emotion as an intermediary link. Based on this, the following assumptions are proposed:…”

What Motivates Green Living? A Qualitative Investigation of Sustainable Life Choices

“…This may explain Erik's perception that autonomous motivation is crucial to create sustainable change. It might also indicate that climate change is closely tied to identities, core values, and worldviews (de Leeuw et al 2015;Guy et al 2014). This in turn may explain why people perceive sustainable living as a threat to their values (Rossen et al 2015).…”

“…The informants feel competent in coping with the crisis, and they do not have to change everything at once, which may increase their sense of behavioral control and thereby increase their sustainable life choices (Ajzen 1991;de Leeuw et al 2015).…”

“…Believing in what you are doing can be compared with self-efficacy or perceived behavioral control (Ajzen 1991). The theory of planned behavior (TPB) and self-efficacy have previously been shown to predict climate action (de Leeuw et al 2015). Knowing how to live sustainably and believing that they can effectively combat climate change may strengthen the informants' sense of competency and therefore strengthen their intrinsic motivation to live sustainably (Deci and Ryan 2008a).…”