Predicting citizens' recycling intention: Incorporating natural bonding and place identity into the extended norm activation model

Abstract

Recycling has emerged as a critical global environmental and economic issue. Recycling helps achieve primary sustainability goals, including better waste management and climate change mitigation. This study tackles the research gap on how place identity and natural bonding affect recycling decision-making. The research investigates citizens' recycling intention by incorporating place identity and natural bonding into an extended norm activation model (NAM). The study proposes that openness to change, awareness of consequences, environmental concern, personal norms, and attitudes are responsible for place identity and natural bonding's indirect effect on citizens' recycling intention. Based on 815 survey responses, hypothetical claims were examined using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that place identity and natural bonding indirectly affect citizens' recycling intention through personal norms, awareness of consequences, and attitudes. Place identity also indirectly affects citizens' recycling intention, mediated by openness to change and environmental concern. The expanded NAM helps comprehend place identity and natural bonding's role in citizens' recycling intention. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.