Mechanisms of public education influencing waste classification willingness of urban residents

Abstract

On the basis of the theory of planned behavior, persuasion theory, and big five personality theory, this study constructed a mechanism model of the influence of public education on residents’ willingness to classify household waste and analyzed the role of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavior control, and conscientious personality. The model was validated using a questionnaire survey of 378 ordinary residents via hierarchical regression analysis. Results corroborate that attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control partially mediate the relationship between public education and willingness to classify household waste. Conscientious personality moderates the relationship between public education and perceived behavioral control, but not the relationship of public education and attitude. In addition, the relationship between public education and subjective norms is not moderated by conscientious personality.