Can Chinese residential low-carbon consumption behavior intention be better explained? The role of cultural values

Abstract

For better implementation of emission reduction policies in China, this paper focuses on households, one of the major sources of carbon emission, and look into the forming mechanism of residential low-carbon consumption behavioral intention in China. Chinese cultural values (man-to-nature orientation values and collectivism values) are added to Theory of Planned Behavior model to better explain the residential low-carbon consumption behavioral intention in China, and to look into the specific role of cultural values in the model. Through the analysis on 948 samples from Jiangsu by using Mplus7.0, we found that: The original Theory of Planned Behavior model was verified, namely attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control had significant positive direct effect on low-carbon consumption behavioral intention. In the extended model, man-to-nature orientation values did not have significant direct effect on low-carbon consumption behavioral intention, but collectivism values had significant direct positive effect; both kinds of values were proved to have positive moderating effect on the influence of low-carbon consumption behavioral attitude on low-carbon consumption behavioral intention, but their regulating effect on the influence of subjective norms or perceived behavioral control on low-carbon consumption behavioral intention was not significant. After considering the effect of cultural values, the model’s explanatory power rose from 76.7 to 79.3% (moderated by collectivism values) and 81.1% (moderated by man-to-nature orientation values), suggesting a better explanation for the Chinese residents’ low-carbon consumption behavioral intention has been made. In the end, discussion for results was made and implications were proposed.