Abstract
The progressive development of mass communication has allowed the understanding and management of the persuasion process in a more systematic way. However, nowadays, persuasive campaigns still hardly result in behavior changes, particularly around concerns of the promotion of more sustainable lifestyles. Thus, it appears essential to investigate which dimensions are more effective in influencing people’s pro-environmental actions. Relying on the conceptual frameworks provided by the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and the model of goal-directed behavior (MGB), a questionnaire study (n = 380 urban residents) was carried out on the psycho-social antecedents of the intention to use sustainable means of transport. Structural equation modeling showed the mediating role of attitudes toward sustainable transport between ELM persuasion features (i.e., source reliability and argument reliability) and behavioral intention. Positive and negative anticipated emotions, derived from MGB, predict source reliability (the former) and argument reliability (the latter), respectively.
Highlights
In the last few decades, persuasive communication campaigns have often been used to promote pro-environmental actions
Relying on the conceptual frameworks provided by the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and the model of goal-directed behavior (MGB), a questionnaire study (n = 380 urban residents) was carried out on the psycho-social antecedents of the intention to use sustainable means of transport
Communication campaigns hardly result in behavior changes
Summary
In the last few decades, persuasive communication campaigns have often been used to promote pro-environmental actions. Persuasion has been defined as “human communication that is designed to influence others by modifying their beliefs, values, or attitudes” [1] and “an attitude change resulting from exposure to information from others” [2]. O’Keefe [3] argued that there are requirements for the source, the means, and the recipient to consider something persuasive. A considerable number of mass media messages barrage people in order to persuade them to do or buy something and they respond to such media bombardment by selecting messages on the basis of their content or other features, e.g., expert or attractive source, music, colors. Communication campaigns hardly result in behavior changes
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