Proenvironmental Behavior: The Link Between Place Attachment and Place Satisfaction

Abstract

The study tested whether proenvironmental behavioral intention mediates the relationship between place attachment and place satisfaction among visitors of the Dandenong Ranges National Park in Australia. Structural equation modeling was employed on a sample of 452 visitors. Regression models were estimated to test the mediating effect of proenvironmental behavioral intentions on the relationships between place dependence, place identity, place affect, place social bonding, and place satisfaction. Results show that as hypothesized, these effects were mediated by proenvironmental behavioral intentions, except for the relationship between place social bonding and place satisfaction. An important theoretical contribution is the mediating role of proenvironmental behavioral intentions in nature-based settings. Practical applications of the study include marketing aimed at encouraging repeat visitation by increasing levels of place attachment and place satisfaction in national parks through proenvironmental message development and delivery.