Sustainable Behavior Research Articles

Selling sustainability: making green advertising more concrete with circular economy message framing

Advertising for green products is often deemed too abstract, limiting some consumers’ interest in purchase. Examination of how to reduce this perceived abstractness is scant. Drawing on construal level theory, conceptual metaphor theory and the circular economy, we propose that circular economy message framing can reduce the perceived abstractness of green advertising because it is based on the conceptual metaphor of a circle. This reduced abstractness, in turn, increases green advertising effectiveness. Two studies demonstrate that circular economy framing of green advertising claims on laundry detergent packaging elicits more concrete interpretation, particularly for consumers in a more concrete mindset who previous research shows are unaffected by green advertising’s perceived abstractness. This more concrete interpretation leads to a willingness to pay more for the advertised brand. A third study shows that when consumers are exposed to an educational video that frames sustainability as the circular economy, they perceive sustainability as more concrete and are more willing to engage in sustainable consumption behaviors than consumers who are exposed to an unrelated video. Findings offer insights for theory and practice to increase green advertising’s effectiveness and improve the uptake of sustainable consumption.

'They are conspiring against us': How outgroup conspiracy theories stimulate environmental neglect in intergroup resource dilemmas.

Natural resources are limited, and people often share these limited resources in groups, which creates an intergroup resource dilemma. To understand individuals' sustainable behaviours in intergroup resource dilemmas in the context of group interactions, the present research systematically investigates the effect of outgroup conspiracy theories on sustainable behaviours and preliminarily explores the internal mechanism underlying this effect. First, a survey study (Study 1) relying on real-world intergroup relations first confirmed the negative correlation between outgroup conspiracy beliefs and sustainable intentions in intergroup resource dilemmas. Then, an online experimental study that utilized the real situation of a region in China (Study 2) tested the causal relationship between exposure to an outgroup conspiracy theory and sustainable intentions, as well as showing the mediating role of intergroup threat perception underlying this relationship. Finally, a preregistered experimental laboratory study (Study 3) further verified the causal effect of exposure to an outgroup conspiracy theory on sustainable behaviours, again confirming the mediating role of intergroup threat perception. In general, our research demonstrates that exposure to an outgroup conspiracy theory stimulates individuals' environmental neglect and reduces their sustainable behaviours by increasing their perceptions of intergroup threat when faced with intergroup resource dilemmas.

Exploring the Relationship Between Media Use and Resilience in the context of green communities

Abstract Everyone has a relationship with the spatial space they occupy, this study investigates the dynamic relationship between individuals’ media use patterns and their spatial orientation in a community, the evolving media landscape and people’s mobility patterns have a significant influence on green community and resilience. This study seeks to explore the different effectiveness of vertically and horizontally moving media such as stairs, lifts, ramps, escalators and single loaded and double loaded corridors, the main objective is to investigate the relationship between place media consumption, mobility patterns, and development on sustainable behaviour and personal resilience, a methodological approach will be used by examining the comparison between media use and resilience levels to explore the influence of vertically and horizontally moving media on green community attitudes. The findings are expected to reveal interactions between media users with varying mobility abilities, people’s mobility patterns, green community values, and resilience that impact urban planning, media design, and evolving communities. Understanding the relationship between how people move both horizontally and vertically with green communities and resilience is crucial in promoting sustainable development and environmental behaviour in the context of evolving media landscapes and human mobility.

Cognitive, Affective, and Normative Drivers of Pro-Environmental Intentions Among Urban Forest Visitors – The IPMA Approach

This study investigates the cognitive, affective, and normative drivers of pro-environmental intentions among urban forest visitors, applying the Importance-Performance Map Analysis (IPMA) to identify key dimensions influencing sustainable behaviors. Drawing from existing literature, the research examines how environmental awareness, connectedness to nature, environmental empathy, place attachment, social norms, and moral norms shape pro-environmental intentions. Data were collected from 550 respondents in Bangkok using a self-administered online survey. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the relationships among these constructs, and IPMA was employed to assess their relative importance and performance. Results revealed that affective components, particularly place attachment and connectedness to nature, and normative factors like social norms, have a significant impact on pro-environmental intentions. Meanwhile, environmental awareness and moral norms showed limited influence. The findings highlight areas for improvement and provide practical implications for enhancing sustainable behaviors in urban forests.

Understanding Sociodemographic Differences in Climate Behavior, Climate Policy Acceptance, and Political Participation

IntroductionTo mitigate the global health threat posed by climate change, multifaceted responses are required. In previous work, older, male, and highly educated individuals were shown to exhibit greater general readiness to act against climate change; the same is true for people living in larger communities. Yet, the sociodemographic effects may vary for the single facets of the readiness to act against climate change—namely individual climate-friendly behavior, acceptance of climate-protection policies, and political participation. MethodsData from four waves (2022–2023) of the Planetary Health Action Survey (PACE) were analyzed (N = 3,830, nonprobabilistic representative German sample). Sociodemographic variables (gender, age, community size, education and others) and the three abovementioned facets of the readiness to act against climate change were assessed to examine their relationships. ResultsPatterns varied between the indicators. Women and older individuals exhibited more climate-friendly behavior and policy acceptance. In contrast, levels of political participation were higher for men and younger individuals. Higher education was linked to less sustainable behavior, greater policy acceptance, and higher participation, while municipality size was only linked to the latter two. Additional analyses explore the relations between age and the constructs at item level. ConclusionsFindings underscore the importance of a nuanced understanding of people's readiness to act against climate change. Depending on communication objectives, different target groups may be relevant, e.g., do campaigners want to increase political participation vs. change individual behaviors. While older individuals exhibit greater readiness to act via individual behavior and policy acceptance, it is important to include young people in climate-communication efforts.

Critical care nurses’ experiences on environmental sustainability: A qualitative content analysis

BackgroundIntensive care units (ICUs) are the primary producers of greenhouse gas emissions within hospitals, due to the use of several invasive materials. Nurses represent a large portion of the healthcare workforce and can be pivotal in promoting sustainability practices. Several international reports have suggested that nursing can help achieve the sustainable development objectives set by the United Nations. AimsThe purpose is to explore behaviour related to environmental sustainability in intensive care nurses. Study designA qualitative content analysis comprised of in-depth interviews involving 27 ICU nurses, who were each asked the same open-ended question. The transcripts collected were then analyzed and organized by a team of independently-working researchers. The analysis of the extrapolated concepts was carried out following the Neem M. (2022) method. The study is supported by a grant from the Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship, Rome, July 2024. FindingsThe main recurring themes are as follows: (1) concepts of environmental sustainability in ICUs, (2) critical issues related to sustainable intervention in the ICUs (3) proactive environmental sustainability attitudes in ICUs. Time to know, define criticality, and improve is the conceptualization of sustainable behaviors experienced by ICU nurses. ConclusionsTaking the time to know and define the critical issues for implementing sustainable behaviours in the ICU, turned out to be the key to enforce the mindset of green nursing thinking. Implications to clinical practiceSustainability behaviours need to be proposed and verified by ICU managers by creating sustainability teams and promoting a good working environment, founding the progression to green ICUs by focusing on health impact education and mindfulness.

Sustainable Behavior in Climate Pledges: An Analysis of Top Emitters’ Strategies

This paper is the first to analyze if and how countries are using their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to shift citizens toward more pro-climate behavior changes.

Investigation of the relationship between sustainable nutrition behaviors and obesity indicators: a cross-sectional study

Investigation of the relationship between sustainable nutrition behaviors and obesity indicators: a cross-sectional study

EXPLORING SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING CONSUMPTION IN ROMANIA: THE MIDDLE-INCOME CHALLENGE

Immense pressure is placed on the textile industry in middle-income countries like Romania, where natural resources are becoming increasingly scarce due to the growing demand for clothing fueled by excessive consumerism. The significant amount of clothing waste in Romania highlights the negative effects of fast fashion, despite growing public awareness of its environmental consequences. During these times it is important to advocate sustainable clothing consumption behaviors, like choosing recyclable clothes over new items or preferring sustainable clothing items over fast fashion. There is a need to shift consumers’ clothing consumption towards a more sustainable one. Promoting sustainable practices and economic growth in middle-income countries like Romania can reduce the negative impacts of excessive clothing consumption and decrease the burden on the textile industry. To enhance sustainable clothing consumption, it is important to apprehend the factors that predict consumers’ intentions to purchase sustainable clothing consumption. However, the literature provides limited research exploring the underlying factors that determine consumers’ intention to purchase sustainable clothing in middle-income countries. Moreover, the impact of consumers’ environmental awareness on their sustainable clothing purchase motivation is underexplored. To fill the research gap, this study intends to analyze the problem by providing an exploration of the sustainable consumption field through the development of a comprehensive framework that examines the behavioral factors influencing consumers in Romania to buy sustainable clothing. This study’s novelty integrates social value orientations with the theory of planned behavior and analyzes data from 1,018 Romanian respondents using statistical methods like partial least squares path modeling. The findings of the study reveal that altruistic values, social norms, and positive attitudes significantly impact Romanian consumers’ intentions to purchase sustainable clothing. These discoveries grant significant guidance for promoting sustainable clothing consumption and provide practical implications for the textile industry in middle-income countries like Romania when addressing clothing overconsumption.

Academic writing in the age of AI: Comparing the reliability of ChatGPT and Bard with Scopus and Web of Science

ChatGPT and Bard (now known as Gemini) are becoming indispensable resources for researchers, academicians and diverse stakeholders within the academic landscape. At the same time, traditional digital tools such as scholarly databases continue to be widely used. Web of Science and Scopus are the most extensive academic databases and are generally regarded as consistently reliable scholarly research resources. With the increasing acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic writing, this study focuses on understanding the reliability of the new AI models compared to Scopus and Web of Science. The study includes a bibliometric analysis of green, sustainable and ecological buying behaviour, covering the period from 1 January 2011 to 21 May 2023. These results are used to compare the results from the AI and the traditional scholarly databases on several parameters. Overall, the findings suggest that AI models like ChatGPT and Bard are not yet reliable for academic writing tasks. It appears to be too early to depend on AI for such tasks.

Sustainable purchasing behavior and the consumer: Pre- and in-store interventions to facilitate the use of carbon labelling

This empirical article presents the results of two interventions at different stages in the purchase process designed to influence consumer purchase behavior towards lower carbon products. Survey and questionnaire results show the potential for targeted interventions to increase awareness and understanding of complex sustainability initiatives, such as carbon labelling. Analysis of supermarket loyalty card data provides further evidence of the widely cited attitude-intention-behavior gap. The value of measuring the behavioral impact of interventions objectively is therefore highlighted. The challenge of attempting to change behavior within real world contexts, such as a retail supermarket setting, is illustrated and the consequences of this discussed. Our findings present valuable insights for researchers studying behavioral change and stakeholders attempting to influence pro-environmental purchasing behavior.

Sustainable Behaviors of Young Polish Consumers: the Impact on Logistics and Business Strategies

The main objective of this survey is to analyze the sustainable behavior of young Polish consumers. The specific objectives are to find out the respondents' opinions on the most disturbing environmental phenomena and actions that negatively affect the environment. In addition, an important goal is to learn about their self-assessment of pro-environmental attitudes and to identify pro-environmental actions most often taken by young consumers, as well as to assess sustainable actions taken by companies in the logistics area. The results are based on empirical research concerning sustainable behaviors of young Polish consumers in a research sample of 50 consumers. The research was conducted in April and May 2024 and covered the entire area of Poland. The survey show that respondents have a good assessment of their environmental attitude. As many as 90% of them perceive growing environmental and social problems. The most worrisome environmental issues in their view are increased garbage and waste, polluted air and water, dangerous chemicals in everyday products, and climate change-the greenhouse effect. Among the activities that have the most detrimental impact on the environment, respondents identified deforestation, improper waste management, consumerism, pollution from pesticides used in agriculture and the burning of fossil fuels. Three-quarters of respondents believe they can contribute to improving the environment with their actions, and nearly two-fifths say they are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products or products from companies that support social causes. Respondents also take a number of individual pro-environmental measures, and among them they are most likely to turn off lights, use reusable bags, segregate trash, use reusable bottles, conserve water and choose environmentally friendly forms of delivery for purchased goods. However, when making purchases, most of them do not choose products offered by companies that are actively involved in environmental activities. Up-to-date knowledge on the sustainable behavior of young consumers is particularly important for both the business and government communities, as it provides information on tailored strategies and policies that align with evolving values, ensuring competitiveness, and meeting environmental and social goals. Limitations of the study include the small sample size of the empirical study, as well as the limited nature of the survey questionnaire. Keywords: sustainability, social responsibility, sustainable consumer, young generation consumer

Edcraft: Gamified Handicrafts as an Inspiration for Teenagers to Practice Upcycling

Abstract This qualitative research study investigates the effectiveness of gamified handicrafts as an inspiration for teenagers to practice recycling and upcycling. The study utilises focus group interviews and thematic analysis to explore the perceptions and experiences of 15 teenagers who participated in an educational programme called Edcraft, which combines gamification and handicrafts to promote sustainable practices among youth. The findings reveal that Edcraft successfully motivates teenagers to engage in recycling and upcycling activities through its gamified approach, which includes challenges, rewards and social interaction. Themes such as ‘social connections are vital’, ‘convenience and rewards are significant motivators’, ‘gamified activities help attract and engage teens’ and ‘environmental knowledge is crucial to prolonging recycling’ emerged from the thematic analysis. The results also highlight the positive impact of Edcraft on teenagers’ attitudes towards the environment and their willingness to adopt sustainable behaviours beyond the programme. The implications of these findings for promoting environmental education and sustainability among teenagers are discussed, and recommendations for future research and practice are provided.

Exploring the role of personality traits in environmental stewardship: insights from the FIKR (facet, insight, knowledge, and resilience) personality assessment tool

This study investigates the relationship between key personality traits—Self-criticism, Dependence, Nurturance, and Emotional—and their influence on sustainability behaviours, using the FIKR (facet, insight, knowledge, and resilience). A sample of 409 individuals was analyzed to examine correlations between these traits and 19 other personality dimensions, alongside 4 demographic factors. The results reveal significant interactions, particularly how self-criticism negatively correlates with emotional expressiveness, and how nurturance and dependency are positively associated with communal and support-driven sustainability behaviours. The findings underscore the potential for tailoring environmental interventions to specific personality profiles, thereby enhancing individual engagement in sustainability efforts and contributing to the health of biological planetary systems. These insights can inform strategies for promoting long-term environmental stewardship by aligning personal traits with collective sustainability goals, thereby making a significant contribution to the field of environmental psychology.

IMPROVING HEALTH BEHAVIOR IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH EMPOWERING HEALTH-AWARE COMMUNITIES

This article reports on a community service program conducted in Nglajur Hamlet, Tugusumberejo Village, Peterongan District, Jombang Regency, from April 29 to May 25, 2024. The program aimed to improve public health behavior by empowering a health-aware community. The initiative involved a series of activities, including health education on waste management, community service efforts, education on common health issues such as hypertension and stroke, health screenings, and providing home care for the elderly. Led by three lecturers and 23 students from the Bachelor of Nursing Science Study Program at the College of Health Sciences of Husada Jombang, the program successfully engaged the local community in each activity. The active participation of community members reflected the program's effectiveness in fostering collective responsibility and promoting sustainable health behaviors. The results underscore the importance of community empowerment in achieving long-term improvements in public health.

성인 대상 지속가능한 의생활 수용도 수준에 따른 실천 행동 연구

This study examined the sustainable clothing behaviors of adult consumers using stage-based theories of behavioral change and proposed strategies for developing educational programs tailored to each group based on the findings. Survey data on perceptual attitudes on sustainable living in the clothing domain and sustainable clothing behavioral practices were collected from 325 adults aged 20 to 49, and statistical analysis was performed using R 4.3.2. The participants were categorized into four groups: Leading Practitioners, Proactive Participants, Potentially Engaged, and Indifferent. Each group exhibited different levels of perceptual attitudes toward sustainable living in the clothing domain, with Leading Practitioners showing the highest and the Indifferent group the lowest. Five levels of sustainable clothing behavioral practices were identified based on the degree to which each of the four consumer groups engaged in these behaviors. Educational suggestions were tailored for each of the four consumer groups based on their levels of behavioral practices, aiming to guide them toward a more sustainable clothing lifestyle through progressive stages.

Teaching Sustainable Advertising: A Trialogue Course-Project Using the SHIFT Framework

Organizations are building sustainable practices due to newer regulations and a commitment to the greater good. They are targeting the majority of consumers who want to live a sustainable lifestyle. As a result, universities have an opportunity to integrate sustainability topics into their coursework. This study addresses a curriculum gap that exists by introducing a project-based assignment using the SHIFT framework by White, Habib, and Hardisty (2019a), which outlines the triggers associated with influencing sustainable behaviors among consumers, namely, social influence, habit formation, individual self, feelings and cognition, and tangibility. We explain the relevance of the project via a literature review on the growing importance of sustainability to consumers, outline the project requirements and recommendations for execution, and share our experiences and those of our students using the project.

The Impact of Environmental Knowledge on Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability Practices among Hospitality Students in Malaysia

Environmental sustainability and food waste reduction are among the critical challenges facing the hospitality industry worldwide. This study was conducted to identify the impact of environmental knowledge on food waste reduction and sustainability practices among hospitality students in Malaysia. A quantitative approach was used, and we surveyed 94 hospitality students from various programs at UiTM Penang. The online questionnaire was conducted and analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis. There is a significant positive correlation between environmental knowledge, food waste behaviors and sustainability-related behaviors. The strongest relationship was found between food waste behaviors and sustainability-related behaviors, suggesting that environmental knowledge and food waste practices are closely related to broader sustainability behaviors in hospitality education. The study contributes to the understanding of how environmental education can shape the future of hospitality professional practice, offering valuable insights for the development of industry curricula and training programs aimed at promoting sustainable practices in the hospitality sector.

A Study on the Cognitive, Normative, and Affective Factors That Enhance the Pro-Environmental Behaviors of Consumers in the Context of Drone Food Delivery Services

The current study examined consumers’ sustainable behavior in the context of eco-friendly drone food delivery services. It thus focused on the cognitive triggers, normative factors, and affective triggers in forming pro-environmental intentions. This study more specifically developed a comprehensive framework that included cognitive triggers, which included environmental awareness, ascribed responsibility, biospheric value, environmental concern, and perceived effectiveness, personal norm, and affective triggers, which included positive anticipated emotion and negative anticipated emotion, subjective norm, and pro-environmental intentions. The 312 samples were randomly extracted through an online survey company in Korea, which targeted individuals who have dined out within the last six months. A theoretical model that included mediation and causal hypotheses was proposed and tested by conducting structural equation modeling. The data analysis results indicated that the four dimensions of the cognitive triggers, such as ascribed responsibility, biospheric value, environmental concern, and perceived effectiveness, positively affect personal norm, and consequently have a positive effect on positive anticipated emotion. In addition, subjective norm aids in regards to enhancing personal norm and pro-environmental intentions. The study consequently contributes knowledge that addresses the acknowledged research gap and provides practical suggestions for green marketing strategies in regards to promoting the services.

Synthesis and characterization of chitosan-pectin fabricated nanoemulsion for ethylhexyl triazone topical delivery

This study aimed to investigate the stability of nanoemulsions for the UVB filter, ethylhexyl triazone (EHT) encapsulation followed by fabrication with chitosan and pectin. Four formulations were developed to assess the influence of hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) values on nanoemulsion stability for EHT encapsulation, targeting high Sun Protection Factor (SPF) values. The selected nanoemulsion was then subjected to fabrication with chitosan and pectin, followed by physical characterization and rheological behaviour study. Results indicated that all nanoemulsions exhibited particle sizes ranging from 137.7 nm to 206.0 nm and high entrapment efficiency from 88.76 % to 91.98 %. Sample N3, containing 1 % Tween 20 and 2 % polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400 with HLB of 12, demonstrated the highest stability, yielding a significantly elevated SPF value (10.33). Moreover, polymer-coated nanoemulsions with a low concentration of chitosan (0.1 %) showed enhanced stability when combined with different percentages of pectin. Polymer-coated nanoemulsions indicated shear-thinning behaviour at lower shear rates to Newtonian flow at higher shear rate. Furthermore, both polymer-coated and uncoated nanoemulsions exhibited decreased viscosity with increasing temperature. Also, polymer-coated nanoemulsions was found to enhance the sustainable release of EHT. These findings demonstrated the potential of polymer-coated nanoemulsions for skin application, offering enhanced stability and improved flow behaviour. The design of polymer-coated nanoemulsions could potentially minimize the risks of accumulation and toxicity of UV filters by providing a sustainable release behaviour.