Self-Efficacy and Intrinsic Motivation Guiding Environmental Behavior

Abstract

The authors examine whether self-efficacy relates to the environmentally responsible behavior of recycling and whether intrinsic motivation serves to mediate the relationship between self-efficacy and recycling. The authors measure those constructs, along with extrinsic motivation and the self- regulatory behaviors of satisfaction with and intentions toward recycling. Residents ( n = 1,501) of 55 localities in Cordoba Spain are interviewed at home. Results show that all variables are positively related to self-reported recycling, except that extrinsic motivation is negatively related to recycling. As the authors hypothesize, the relationship between self-efficacy and recycling diminishes when intrinsic motivation is added to the model, which suggests that intrinsic motivation accounts for some of the relationship between self-efficacy and recycling. With the use of structural equation modelling, all variables, except extrinsic motivation, provide a good model fit; explained variance in reported in-home recycling is also substantial (adjusted R2 = .45). The meditational analysis provides insight regarding the dynamics of motivation; the model suggests that self-efficacy relates to recycling directly, by giving rise to intrinsic motivation, which in turn relates to recycling.