Why do consumers recycle? A holistic perspective encompassing moral considerations, affective responses, and self‐interest motives

Abstract

In this study, the recycling behavior of consumers is examined using a model developed based on the goal framing theory (GFT). The GFT provides a holistic comprehensive framework amalgamating three popular psychological theories—theory of planned behavior (TPB), values‐beliefs‐norms (VBNs) theory, and theory on affect (TA). The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors that predict recycling behavior of consumers by examining the extent to which such behavior depends on moral considerations, affective responses, or self‐interest motives. A comprehensive multivariate model with 12 formulated hypotheses is tested with structural equation modeling (SEM) using survey data from 206 individuals. The results of the study indicate that GFT is an appropriate framework in explaining recycling behavior of consumers. The findings of the combined model suggest that while values (biospheric, egoistic), environmental concern, awareness of destructive consequences, ascription of responsibility to self, personal norms, subjective norms, attitudes toward behavior, perceived behavioral control, and intention do significantly predict recycling behavior, altruistic values do not explain behavior‐related intention. In particular, perceived behavioral control seems to be the strongest predictor of recycling intention. Variables of the TPB, which assess gain motives, seem to have the greatest explanatory power for recycling behavior of consumers when the combined model is examined. However, further comparative theory analysis indicates that the recycling behavior of consumers could be better explained by the VBN theory relative to the TPB or TA. The study offers important implications pertaining to environmentally sensitive consumer behavior that would be relevant for marketing managers and policymakers.

Factors Influencing Public-Sphere Pro-Environmental Behavior among Mongolian College Students: A Test of Value–Belief–Norm Theory

“…In addition, some researchers consider NEP an indicator of the awareness of consequences in NAM in testing the relationship between socialpsychological factors and pro-environmental behavior [28]. Since its proposal, VBN has been widely employed to explain many specific pro-environmental behaviors in the private or public sphere, such as green consumer behavior [29][30][31][32], biodiversity conservation [33,34], travel behavior [35][36][37], sustainability behavior [18,38], recycling [39,40], energy conservation [41][42][43][44][45][46], transport modes [47][48][49], and support for pro-environmental policies [50][51][52][53]. Because of value orientations, the new environmental paradigm (NEP) and pro-environmental personal norms (PPN) are vital predictors of pro-environmental behavior in the VBN framework [54].…”

Determinants of Adopting a Zero Waste Consumer Lifestyle

“…The consumer's involvement in several ecologically friendly behavior in every stage of the consumption process became crucial in solving several environmental problems (Onel and Mukherjee, 2017). The 3R strategy has been developed at a meso or macro level, but is there a possibility to apply at the household level?…”

“…As part of the environmentally conscious consumer behavior, the Recycling behavior of consumers and its antecedents have been widely researched in consumer literature (Davies et al, 2002;Izagirre-Olaizola et al, 2015;Kirchherr et al, 2017;Onel and Mukherjee, 2017;Pandley et al, 2017;Minelgaitė and Liobikienė, 2019;). Recently, some studies have also mentioned reducing behavior issues (Graham-Rowe et al, 2014;Mintz et al, 2019).…”

Re‐examining the effects of aging on household recycling behavior: A study in France

“…In line with several research studies on household recycling (Botetzagias, Dima, & Malesios, ; Chan & Bishop, ; Onel & Mukherjee, ; Taylor & Todd, ; Tonglet, Phillips, & Read, ), this study draws on the theory of planned behavior (TPB, Ajzen, , ). This theoretical model distinguishes among attitude, intentions, and behavior in a context that relates to the “attitude–behavior gap” (Alwitt & Pitts, ) observed in the case of environmentally friendly behavior.…”