Responsible Environmental Behavior Research Articles

Pro-environmental behavior: the relationship with information literacy self-efficacy, climate knowledge and climate anxiety among students in Ghana

Abstract As environmental concerns escalate globally, understanding pro-environmental behavior is important. Using a cross-sectional survey of 265 university students from Accra, Ghana, the study hypothesized that pro-environmental behavior is related to climate change knowledge, information literacy self-efficacy and climate change anxiety. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient and simple linear regression were used to test the hypothesis. Findings suggest that climate change knowledge was positively related to information literacy self-efficacy and climate change anxiety. Climate change knowledge and information literacy self-efficacy also positively predicted pro-environmental behavior. Findings imply that students should be trained to improve their climate change knowledge and acquire information literacy skills. Training these skills can contribute to the development of responsible environmental behavior in society.

The Impact of Different Value Types on Environmentally Responsible Behavior: An Empirical Study from Residents of National Park Communities in China

The construction of China’s national park system is an important part of the ecological civilization development strategy, and the behavior of the subjects in the national park has a great impact on its sustainable development. Environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) is considered an important aspect of national park management, and the impact of an individual’s held value on environmental behavior has received much attention. However, the assigned value (AV) of community residents in national park-specific situations has not been concerned, which is often closely related to resident behavior within national park. Therefore, we took the residents of four gateway communities (Qixi town, Hetian town, Changhong town, and Suzhuang town) in Qianjiangyuan national park (QNP), Zhejiang province as research subjects. Based on the value-belief-norm (VBN) model representing individual values, this study integrates the perceived social value of ecosystem services in the national park among community residents and analyzes their impact on ERB. The collected data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 23.0, and the structural model was validated using SmartPLS based on Partial Least Squares Regression. The research findings revealed that (1) the assigned value has a significant positive influence on the environmentally responsible behavior of community residents; (2) pro-environment personal norms are the strongest predictive variable of environmentally responsible behavior; and (3) biosphere value, altruistic value and personal norms have significant positive influence on the formation of the assigned value of community residents.

Achieving Sustainable Tourism: Analysis of the Impact of Environmental Education on Tourists’ Responsible Behavior

Environmental challenges like resource depletion, climate change, and biodiversity loss require human action. Environmental education influences individuals’ understanding and motivates responsible behavior, making it a real solution to address current problems. In this study, we examine the impact of situational environmental education and daily environmental education on tourists’ responsible environmental behavior by incorporating them as covariates into an integrated tourist behavior model. In total, 2381 valid questionnaires were obtained. The results showed that (1) daily environmental education mainly affects tourists’ responsible environmental behavior through attitude (0.467) and habits (0.634); (2) tourists’ responsible environmental behavior is mainly affected by situational environmental education through habits (0.534), subjective norms (0.504), and intention (0.614); and (3) personal factors, including attitudes toward environmental behavior, subjective norms, and perceptual behavior control, positively influence tourists’ responsible environmental behavioral intention and their responsible environmental behavior. This research will help to improve sustainability indicators and frameworks and to promote the adoption of sustainable tourism practices.

Promoting Sustainable Consumption: The Roles of Consumers’ Domain-Specific Environmental Knowledge and Personality Traits

Environmental sustainability, a pivotal facet of sustainable development, is explicitly emphasized and advocated. The textile and apparel (T&A) industry, which is resource-intensive, faces challenges in transitioning toward an ecologically friendly market. The shift toward sustainability is causing significant changes in consumer lifestyles and cultural practices, resulting in increased uncertainty in pro-environmental behaviors. This study adapts the environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) model to investigate how consumers’ subjective and objective domain-specific environmental knowledge (SUEK and OBEK) and personality traits—including personal environmental responsibility (PER), eco-centric and anthropocentric environmental beliefs (EEBs and AEBs), and internal and external environmental loci of control (IN-ELOC and EX-ELOC)—influence sustainable consumption intention (SCI) for T&A products. The data from 212 completed online survey questionnaires were analyzed using a two-stage partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. The findings reveal that participants’ SUEK related to the T&A industry, and their PER and EEBs positively influence their SCI for T&A products. This research contributes to the literature on consumer SCI in the T&A industry and adds value to the existing ERB model, providing insights for brands, retailers, educators, policymakers, and stakeholders striving for a more sustainable industry.

Can tourists be educated? The effect of tourist environmental education on environmentally responsible behavior

ABSTRACT How to arouse tourists’ environmentally responsible behavior (ERB)is an important research issue, especially as tourists’ mobility accelerates. Based on two emotion theories, this paper explores the role of environmental emotions and environmental values. The result of structural equation model indicates that 1) environmental education has a significant positive impact on environmental emotions and ERB, 2) environmental emotion plays a partially mediating role between environmental education and ERB, and 3) environmental values play a positive moderating role in the relationship between environmental education and tourists’ ERB. The findings have important practical implications for the administration of destination environments.

Research on Environmental Responsibility Behavior of Tourists in Seaside Ecological Scenic Spots--The Case of Shenzhen Bay Park

Abstract There is a symbiotic relationship between tourists’ environmental responsibility behavior and tourism’s ecological environment. If tourists consciously maintain the tourism ecological environment, their role in environmental protection will be transformed from a “liability” to an “asset”. Based on the SOR model and relevant research, this paper proposes three stimulus variables for tourists’ environmental responsibility behavior: the image of tourist places, environmental emotion, and local attachment. The initial questionnaire for each variable was created, and the final reasonable questionnaire was determined by reliability testing. A survey of tourists in Shenzhen Bay Park was then conducted and analyzed. The results of the study indicate that tourists in Shenzhen Bay Park exhibit high levels of environmentally responsible behavior. The results of the structural equation test showed that there was a significant influence path relationship (P<0.01) between tourist place image, environmental emotion, and place attachment to environmental responsibility behavior. It has also been found that place attachment has a significant mediating effect on tourist place image, environmental emotion, and tourists’ environmental responsibility behavior. This paper proposes the enhancement strategy of tourists’ environmental responsibility behavior to provide a reference for the strategy planning of related departments, which is conducive to the realization of the sustainable development of seaside ecological scenic spots.

Longitudinal influence of environmental interpretation of eco-tourism sites in national parks on tourists’ environmental responsibility behavior

Ecotourism can provide tourists with good environmental education experience and improve environmental responsibility behavior.Environmental responsibility behavior includes specific environmental responsibility behavior and general environmental responsibility behavior. Taking the environmental interpretation of eco-tourism sites in national parks as an important pre-variable of environmental education function, this paper examines the relationship between environmental interpretation and specific and general environmental responsibility behaviors. The paired sample T-test of SPSS data analysis software found that: (1) Environmental interpretation of eco-tourism destinations in national parks has a positive impact on specific environmental responsibility behaviors, and has a significant positive impact on financial actions. (2) Environmental interpretation of eco-tourism sites in national parks has a positive impact on general environmental responsibility behavior.(3) The study also found that the environmental interpretation function of the national park publicity and education center was significant. This paper deeply explains the influence mechanism of environmental interpretation on specific environmental responsibility behaviors and general environmental responsibility behaviors. At the same time, it provides certain practical guidance for ecotourism destinations to further improve the function of environmental interpretation from the perspectives of knowledge and diversity of information content, means and media, and setting methods of environmental interpretation.

Spillover of sustainable routines from work to private life: application of the Identity and Practice Interdependence Framework.

Spillover of sustainable routines and environmentally-responsible behaviors from one setting to another may contribute to achieving essential sustainability goals. Several previous studies on this topic have found few examples of spillover and have focused primarily on individual influences, indicating the need for a better understanding of the factors that have an impact on whether, how, and when spillover occurs. To this end, a novel conceptualization examining the interactions between identity principles and socio-material elements, the Identity and Practice Interdependence Framework, was applied to investigate the occurrence of spillover of sustainable routines from the workplace to home. Three focus groups totaling 30 employees of a major Brazilian steel-producing company, interviews in 15 employee homes, and on-site observations of work and private domains provided data that was analyzed qualitatively, using a deductive reflexive thematic approach. Participants identified 58 changes in home routines related to sustainability as resulting from their experiences at work. With the consistent availability of practice elements (materials, competencies, meanings), learning about, witnessing and performing sustainable routines at work favored satisfactory levels of identity principles (self-efficacy, self-esteem, distinctiveness, continuity). Analysis suggested that seeking the same satisfactions of identity principles outside the workplace led individuals to adapt, change, and/or create more environmentally-responsible routines in their homes. The Identity and Practice Interdependence Framework permitted investigation of the integration of socio-material aspects with the role of individuals in the process of spillover, and indicated some ways they may interact. Both the provision of socio-material components in the first setting and the recognition of more sustainable routines as a feasible path to satisfaction of identity principle needs contribute to individual engagement and persistence in the second setting. Consistent and frequent experiences with more sustainable routines in the first setting or situation may be key to creating this expectation, and therefore to the occurrence of spillover to another setting. The framework complements previous approaches by allowing for a more complex analysis of spillover, which can be used to enrich research on sustainable practices and help promote environmentally-friendly behaviors and sustainable routines, or other desired outcomes, both within organizations and beyond.

Exploring the role of self-conscious emotions between consumer minimalism and rental behavior

PurposeThis research aims to examine how consumer minimalism (CM), self-conscious feelings (such as consumer guilt (CG) and consumer pride (CP)) and the inclination to use rental services interact. It also looks at how attitudes toward pro-environmental advertisements affect these relationships as a moderator, recognizing the importance of pro-environmental advertising in influencing consumer behavior.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a quantitative methodology to investigate the aforementioned associations. Survey questionnaires are used to collect data, which is then analyzed using AMOS 25 and Process Macro to generate meaningful insights.FindingsThe findings indicate that the willingness to use rental services is directly associated with CM, while self-conscious emotions (SCEs) play the role of a mediator in this relationship.Research limitations/implicationsIt is essential to recognize the limitations of this study. There may be other variables at play, but the research focuses on SCEs (CG and CP) and their role as mediators. The findings must be interpreted based on the selected research methodology and sample size. Future research could investigate additional variables and enlarge the sample size to increase generalizability.Practical implicationsTargeted marketing can leverage CM, SCEs and willingness to use rental services. Recognizing the moderating effect of attitude toward pro-environmental advertisements can help create more effective campaigns promoting environmental behavior.Originality/valueUnderpinned by SCEs, the current study is one of the initial studies to explain how CM encourages responsible environmental behavior through access-based consumption models.

From biospheric values to tourists’ ecological compensation behavioural willingness: a comprehensive model test based on the value-identity-personal norm and normative activation

This study introduced the emotional factor of empathy with nature and constructed a comprehensive model comprising the value-identity-personal norm and the normative activation models to examine the formation mechanism of tourists’ ecological compensation behavioural willingness (ECBW). Furthermore, it analysed the effects of biospheric values, environmental self-identity, empathy with nature, personal norms, and ascription of responsibility on ECBW via structural equation modelling. The findings show that except for the construct of biospheric values, all variables directly affect the ECBW. Environmental self-identity and empathy with nature fully mediate biospheric values and ECBW, respectively, suggesting that there is an arousal mechanism between biospheric values and ECBW. The comprehensive model in this study had a stronger predictive power in explaining ECBW than the two single models. This study revealed the formation mechanism of tourists’ ECBW and regards it as a subdimension of environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB) with compensatory features that broaden the understanding of ERB. It also extends the theoretical framework of ERB research by focusing on specific natural-emotional factors. This study has management implications for tourism destinations to strengthen tourists’ ECBW.

Influence of Landscape Preference and Place Attachment on Responsible Environmental Behavior—A Study of Taipei’s Guandu Nature Park Wetlands, Taiwan

Wetlands provide important ecological services and aesthetic value at the landscape level. A landscape that makes people feel or appreciate the beauty of nature and is ecologically healthy and aesthetically beautiful can elicit positive emotions for people that are exposed to such landscapes. This then translates into protective environmental behaviors. Despite the growing importance of wetland conservation and human sensitivities to landscapes, little is known about the relationship between wetland landscapes and responsible environmental behaviors (REBs). This study was conducted at the wetlands at Guandu Nature Park (GNP), Taipei, Taiwan, using a five-point Likert scale questionnaire. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test three hypotheses aiming to examine the influence of (1) landscape preference on REBs, (2) landscape preference on place attachment, and (3) place attachment on REBs. The findings indicated individuals displayed environmentally friendly behaviors because of the healthy environmental conditions of GNP wetlands and that an individuals’ sense of place attachment was influenced by the beauty of these wetlands. In addition, place attachment had a mediating effect on landscape preference and REBs. This study contributes to the limited resources associated regarding the effects of wetland landscapes on REBs and provides a basis for future comparative studies.

Examining the role of generativity on tourists’ environmentally responsible behavior: An inter-generational comparison

Sustainability means developing without compromising the benefit of future generations, which concurs with generative concern, a future value orientation characterized by concern for the future generation. Drawing on the value-attitude-behavior (VAB) hierarchy model, this study established a theoretical framework and empirically examined structural relationships among tourists' generativity, environmental concern, personal norm, and environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) via PLS-SEM. Potential generational differences were analyzed using an independent sample t-test and multigroup analysis. A total of 702 questionnaires from on-site tourists were collected in Xixi Wetland National Park, Hangzhou, China. Results showed that generative concern positively influences ERB, mediated by tourists’ environmental concern and personal norm. Additionally, inter-generational comparison indicated that Generation Z (Gen Z) has a lower level of generative concern but exhibited greater predictive power for ERB. The effect of environmental concern on personal norm is more robust among Gen Z. Further, academic implications and practical strategies were discussed.

Eco-literacy and sustainable citizenship: The role of the school environment in shaping responsible environmental behavior

The goal of this project is to apply eco-literacy through sustainable practices in schools that are not part of the Adiwiyata school program. This study combines analytical description techniques with a qualitative methodology. There are 1154 pupils enrolled at SMA Negeri 19 Medan, where this study was carried out. The study conducted at SMA Negeri 19 Medan yielded findings that initially encountered resistance from both students and teachers on the ongoing adoption of eco-literacy in the classroom. However, because of the advantages that the program provided, students and teachers who had initially objected to it began to respond favorably to it in the second year of its implementation. Thus, it can be concluded that ecoliteracy which was implemented through continuous habituation at SMA Negeri 19 Medan was declared successful even though initially this school was not included in the Adiwiyata school.

Understanding residents’ environmental responsible behaviour: a cognition – affection – attitude – behaviour model perspective

ABSTRACT Current research examined the interplay between cognition (environmental knowledge), affection (environmental sensitivity), attitude (place attachment and sustainable attitude) and behaviour (environmental responsible behaviour and support for sustainable tourism development). Three hundred and eighty-eight residents were surveyed. Structural equation modelling was employed to test direct and indirect relationships among study constructs. Structural model results found environmental knowledge as significant predictor of sustainable attitude than environmental sensitivity. Whereas, effect of environmental knowledge on environmental sensitivity was found significant. Further, empirical findings discovered sustainable attitude as more important predictor of place attachment than environmental sensitivity. Subsequently, the effect of place attachment on environmental responsible behaviour was found positive and significant. Finally, study model confirmed residents’ environmental responsible behaviour as more important predictor of support for sustainable tourism development than place attachment. It is suggested that sustainable tourism be promoted and implemented, and its managerial implications are discussed.

Leveraging gamification technology to motivate environmentally responsible behavior: An empirical examination of Ant Forest

AbstractRealizing the role of their consumers in mitigating environmental problems, companies have started leveraging gamification technology with persuasive interventions to induce consumers’ behavioral changes. Ant Forest—a gamified initiative launched by a prominent Chinese fintech company—empowers users to manage their ecological footprint and promote ethical behavior. However, the research community has primarily focused on Ant Forest's adoption and continuation intention, paying limited attention to how gamification promotes users’ environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) in the postadoption stage. This study contributes to this domain by developing a model based on persuasion and motivation theories and the “affordances–psychological outcomes–behavioral outcomes” framework. This model highlights the impact of gamification on consumers' ERB through psychological need satisfaction and belief or attitude persuasion. A total of 1869 survey responses regarding the use of Ant Forest were collected from nine cities in China. The results demonstrate that, from gamification experiences with Ant Forest, users perceive psychological need satisfaction (i.e., perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness), which significantly explains their green beliefs and attitudes (i.e., green task performance, green belief confirmation, and green self‐identity), leading to increased ERB. Additionally, users with a higher green absorptive capacity demonstrate a stronger link between green beliefs or attitudes and ERB. This research shifts the focus from adoption and continuation intention to postadoption behavioral modification and offers insights into creating effective gamification systems for fostering ethical behavior and addressing environmental concerns.

Tourism destination social responsibility and the moderating role of self-congruity

Propósitonuestro artículo investiga las interrelaciones de la responsabilidad social del destino (DSR), el apego emocional, la autocongruencia, la satisfacción experiencial y el comportamiento ambientalmente responsable (ERB).Diseño/metodología/enfoqueutilizando una muestra de 294 visitantes del zoológico de Guangzhou en China, nuestro estudio probó las relaciones antes mencionadas a través del modelo de ecuaciones estructurales.Hallazgosel apego emocional media el efecto de DSR en la satisfacción experiencial, mientras que el apego emocional y la satisfacción experiencial median el efecto de DSR en ERB secuencialmente. Además, la autocongruencia modera la relación entre DSR y apego emocional.Implicaciones prácticasla administración de los zoológicos debe utilizar estrategias de comunicación de DSR de manera más proactiva para que los visitantes estén bien informados sobre sus actividades económicas, filantrópicas, ambientales y sociales en la comunidad anfitriona. Esto tendrá muchas consecuencias positivas, incluidos los ERB de los visitantes.Originalidad/valorel estudio se suma a la literatura de DSR al presentar múltiples mecanismos de mediación y caminos que conducen a los ERB de los visitantes.

Exploring the Environmentally Responsible Behavior of Generations Y and Z from a Cross-Cultural Perspective in the Context of Nature-Based Tourism

There are increasing numbers of studies involving Generation Y and Generation Z, as these generations represent the present and future generations and drive the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable development of the natural environment. Environmentally responsible behavior is the key feature for diagnosing how people think and react to the environment where they are situated. This study investigates and analyzes the relevant influencing factors of nature tourists from Generation Y and Generation Z in Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam regarding their performance of environmentally responsible behaviors and compares the differences of these factors among the three groups. The study analysis methods were regression analysis and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Based on the research results, we verified three factors related to environmentally responsible behavior, pro-ecological worldview, environmental attitude and situational factors. A pro-ecological worldview will indirectly affect environmentally responsible behavior within the three groups. Situational factors directly and indirectly significantly affect environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behavior in the three groups. In addition, these three groups have significant differences in the average recognition of pro-ecological worldview, environmental attitude, and situational factors and thus environmentally responsible behavior. The overall result reveals that the Thai group tended to have better recognition than that of the Taiwanese and Vietnamese groups. However, all the participants among the groups agreed on the importance of nature preservation and would like to support environmental protection.

Protecting coastal tourism through developing tourists' environment responsible behaviour

Though the growth of the tourism industry has created economic and social opportunities, it has also hurt the environment and natural resources of the tourist destinations. It is observed that most of the environmental issues at tourist destinations arise due to the ignorant behaviour of tourists. Current research has addressed the environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB) of tourists at the destination with the help of the socio-emotional interaction dimension, including tourists' positive contact with the resident (PCR), emotional solidarity with residents (ESR), and residents, ERB. To achieve the study's objectives, the study has employed the simulation-organism-response (S–O-R) model and social exchange theory (SET) to analyse the influence of the socio-emotional dimensions of interaction between tourists and residents on the tourist's ERB. The study employed a quantitative survey-based casual research design. Data was gathered from tourists who visited four selected coastal destinations in Karachi, Pakistan. One thousand questionnaires were distributed, among which 914 were used for data analysis. Results for direct effect show that PCR, ESR, and residents' ERB significantly and positively affect tourists' ERB. The indirect effect shows that perceived destination trust significantly and positively mediates the effect of PCR, ESR, and residents' ERB on tourist ERB. Finally, moderation results showed that perceived destination reputation has significantly and positively moderated the effect of PCR and ESR on residents' ERB on tourist ERB. Research has several theoretical and practical contributions. Management implications1.Based on the results, socio-emotional interaction between tourists and residents leads to tourists' environmentally responsible behaviour. So, the following are the proposed strategies for managers to improve the residents' and tourist's interaction.a.Destination management should involve residents and tourists in local festivals, cooking competitions, interaction games, cultural games, and quiz competitions.b.Destination management should arrange night walking tours for tourists. Residents of local communities should take tourists to their neighbourhood and give them the experience of local culture and living patterns.c.Destination management should arrange seminars and training workshops for service providers and tourism employees to improve their interaction with tourists.d.Policymakers should develop strict laws at the destination to protect tourists from scams and irresponsible business activities.e.Destination marketers should influence residents' environmentally responsible behaviour by arranging environment protection awareness seminars and workshops.2.Managers should develop the following strategies to improve tourists' perceived destination trust and perceived destination reputation.a.To enhance destination trust, destination managers should develop a responsive online mobile-based complaint system for tourists.b.Destination managers should provide services such as hotel reservations, airline tickets, cab facilities booking, tourist guides, and food delivery on a single online mobile app.c.Online satisfaction surveys to measure tourists' post-visit behaviour can enhance perceived destination trust.d.Sharing attractive content related to the destination on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram can enhance tourists' perceived destination reputation.

Understanding tourists' environmentally responsible behaviour: environmental citizenship behaviour as an antecedent and trust in destination's local government as a moderator

PurposeTourists' environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB) is very important for the environmental sustainability of popular tourist destinations. The main purpose of this research paper is to explore the relationship between environmental citizenship behaviour (ECB) and trust in local government with ERB.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical model was proposed and tested. Data were collected from domestic tourists (n = 555) visiting Antalya, on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey.FindingsThe results show that all dimensions of ECB (helping, engagement and initiatives) have a positive effect on the formation of ERB among domestic tourists. The results also show that trust in the local government of the destination has a moderating effect on the relationship between the two dimensions of ECB (engagement and initiatives) and ERB. The helping dimension of ECB has the highest positive impact factor on ERB. The results provide a comprehensive framework for further research. The proposed model is strongly supported by the findings.Practical implicationsLocal policy makers can focus on how to increase the environmental motivation of domestic tourists. Environmentally friendly projects can be developed to attract their attention. This will ensure that they take more responsibility for the environment at the destination.Originality/valueUnderstanding the potential impact of local government on tourist behaviour is crucial for sustainability. However, there are few studies that directly examine the moderating effect of trust in local government on the relationship between ECB and ERB. This study addresses this gap and makes novel contributions to the relevant literature.

Sociodemographic determinants of environmental attitude, environmental knowledge, emotional affinity and responsible behaviour among tourists: a case study of the Western Himalayas (Determinantes sociodemográficos de la actitud ambiental, el conocimiento ambiental, la afinidad emocional y la conducta responsable de los turistas: un estudio de caso del Himalaya occidental)

ABSTRACT Environment-nature discourse is characterized by significant variation in the drivers of environmental attitudes and perceptions, making it difficult to draw broad generalizations about their relevance for specific localities. This study attempts to determine the sociodemographic determinants of environmental knowledge, behavioural intention, emotion affinity and resultant responsible behaviour. The data from 400 samples were collected through the primary survey in tourist destination regions. A model was developed using the structural equation modelling approach to analyse the relationship between the variables. Results from the structural equation modelling indicate that behavioural intentions were the most robust predictor, followed by emotional affinity. Results also show that gender, age, education and average monthly income positively affect environmental knowledge and behavioural intention. The research provides an essential result with practical significance for environmental policymakers since it identifies specific environmental behaviour antecedents. One important message that emerges from the finding is that planners in the province must consider diversity issues (age, gender, education) when planning for infrastructural provisions, leisure and other related activities.