Frugal or Sustainable? The Interplay of Consumers’ Personality Traits and Self-Regulated Minds in Recycling Behavior

Abstract

Through the lens of self-regulation theory (SRT), this study investigates the following: (1) the ways in which consumers’ personality traits of conscientiousness, openness, and agreeableness increase their self-regulated mindsets of frugality and green efficacy; (2) whether frugality facilitates green efficacy; and (3) whether frugality and green efficacy ultimately affect recycling behavior. This study proposes modeling the duality of the self-regulated mindsets of frugality and green efficacy as the reason why consumers engage in recycling behavior. This study conducted an online survey among U.S. consumers that garnered 400 responses for the empirical data analysis. The results reveal that frugality is positively influenced by conscientiousness and openness, whereas green efficacy is facilitated by agreeableness but not by openness. Notably, frugality contributes to green efficacy, which indicates the causal duality of the self-regulated mindset as a motive in recycling behavior. Both frugality and green efficacy predict greater recycling behavior. The findings provide theoretical and practical implications for consumers’ recycling behavior and the development of effective public promotion strategies for the disposal of waste and recycling.