Abstract
Natural ecological protection in protected areas involves the restriction of land use patterns and their intensity. Typically, the goal of land use is to balance environmental protection with community development. Nature education and ecological experiences in protected areas encourage visitor environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) which supports the sustainable use of land in national parks and reduces the degradation of natural environments. The existing research literature has a focus on ways of facilitating ERB through rational and external influences. However, individual behaviors are contextual and specific situations affect behavior. This research used environmental knowledge as a rational factor and situations were viewed as a moderator in stimulating ERB based on situational cognition theory. A knowledge-situation-behavior latent variable moderator model was constructed and tested with visitor survey data from Shennongjia National Park, Hubei Province, China. The findings showed that situations had a significant positive moderating effect on the relationship between environmental knowledge and ERB. Books, articles, authors and familiar people had a significant positive moderating effect on ERB, as did environmental interpretation and staff guidance. Precise measures to promote the ERB of national park visitors were proposed.
Highlights
The impacts of human activities are contributing to global warming and the degradation of natural environments
Based on situational cognition theory, the analysis of environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) was expanded based on situational moderation and this enriches the connotation of the ERB influential factors in national parks
According to Situated Cognition Theory, the situational factors which promote ERB were divided into two categories, including extended and embedded situations
Summary
The impacts of human activities are contributing to global warming and the degradation of natural environments These negative impacts can be partly reduced by encouraging greater environmentally responsible behavior (ERB). National park visitors often have spontaneous ERB and willingness [1]. They will abide by the environmental norms of a protected area, and even are willing to admonish environmentally unfriendly behaviors of other visitors. If the focus is shifted from reducing visitor environmental damage to promoting and encouraging ERB in national parks, this will more effectively promote the sustainable development of the environment [2]. Encouraging visitors to have greater ERB is vital for the sustainable development of nature reserves and the use of land resources
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