Theory Of Planned Behavior Factors Research Articles

The Role Of Hedonic Motivation In Social Commerce Toward Consumer Purchase Intention

This study investigates the influence of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) elements on customer purchase intention within the context of social commerce, with a focus on the moderating role of hedonic motivation (HM). TPB factors, including attitude (ATD), subjective norm (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC), along with TAM factors - perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU) - were examined for their connection to consumer purchase intention (CPI). Hedonic motivation's role as a moderator between TPB, TAM, and purchase intention was explored due to its impact on sensory, creative, and emotional responses of hedonic consumers towards products. The study, involving 500 online survey participants, employed SPSS 26.0 for initial analysis and Smart PLS 3.0 for structural equation modeling. Results supported seven out of ten hypotheses, offering valuable insights into hedonic motivation's regulatory effect on customer purchase intention in the realm of social commerce, contributing to a deeper understanding of this evolving market.

A confirmation of the predictive utility of the Antibiotic Use Questionnaire

BackgroundThe change in the efficacy of antimicrobial agents due to their misuse is implicated in extensive health and mortality related concerns. The Antibiotics Use Questionnaire (AUQ) is a theory driven measure based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TpB) factors that is designed to investigate drivers of antibiotic use behaviour. The objective of this study is to replicate the factor structure from the pilot study within a similar Australian confirmation cohort, and to extend this through investigating if the factor structure holds in a Chinese-identifying cohort.MethodsThe AUQ was disseminated to two cohorts: a confirmation cohort similar to the original study, and a Chinese identifying cohort. Data analysis was completed on the two data sets independently, and on a combined data set. An orthogonal principal components analysis with varimax rotation was used to assess the factor structure, followed by general linear models to determine the influence of the TpB factors on reported antibiotic use.Results370 participant responses from the confirmation cohort, and 384 responses from the Chinese-identifying cohort were retained for analysis following review of the data. Results showed modest but acceptable levels of internal reliability across both cohorts. Social norms, and the interaction between attitudes and beliefs and knowledge were significant predictors of self-reported antibiotic use in both cohorts. In the confirmation cohort healthcare training was a significant predictor, and in the Chinese-identifying cohort education was a significant predictor. All other predictors tested produced a nonsignificant relationship with the outcome variable of self-reported antibiotic use.ConclusionsThis study successfully replicated the factor structure of the AUQ in a confirmation cohort, as well as a cohort that identified as culturally or legally Chinese, determining that the factor structure is retained when investigated across cultures. The research additionally highlights the need for a measure such as the AUQ, which can identify how differing social, cultural, and community factors can influence what predicts indiscriminate antibiotic use. Future research will be required to determine the full extent to which this tool can be used to guide bespoke community level interventions to assist in the management of antimicrobial resistance.

O-223 Can the theory of planned behavior predict parents’ disclosure of donor conception to their children within 5-9 years?

Abstract Study question Does application of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) help predict heterosexual-couple parents’ disclosure of donor conception (DC) to their children? Summary answer According to TPB, parents with a stronger will to act in accordance with social norms favoring disclosure were more likely to start the disclosure process. What is known already In contrast to same-sex couples and single mothers by choice, heterosexual couples need to make an active decision to disclose, or not disclose, their use of DC to their child. While disclosure at an early age is encouraged by international and national guidelines, many heterosexual-couple parents struggle with this. A previous study has found an association between parental scores of TPB factors and disclosure intention, but so far, no study has applied the TPB to predict parents’ de facto disclosure behavior. Study design, size, duration The present study is based on the fourth (2014-2017) and fifth (2022-2023) waves of data collection in the prospective, longitudinal Swedish Study on Gamete Donation (SSGD). The project collects survey data at five timepoints from acceptance to be donor-recipient, to the children were adolescents. Participating parents had conceived through identity-release oocyte donation (OD; n = 68, response rate 65%) and sperm donation (SD; n = 62, response rate 56%) as part of a heterosexual couple. Participants/materials, setting, methods The SSGD includes all parents seeking gamete donation treatment at Swedish university hospitals between 2005-2008, the present study including parents’ data when the children were 7-8 years (T4), and 13-17 years (T5). Parents completed the TPB Disclosure Questionnaire (TPB-DQ) at T4, and disclosure behavior was assessed at both T4 and T5. Data from the participants who had not yet disclosed at T4 were analyzed using survival analysis with Cox regressions. Main results and the role of chance Forty participants (31%) had not disclosed the DC to their children at T4 and out of these, 13 had still not disclosed at T5. The TPB-DQ consists of four factors affecting intent to disclose; Attitudes, Subjective norms, Perceived behavioral control and Behavioral intent. The use of Cox regression enabled us to estimate how the parents disclosing to their children related to TPB-DQ, as well as the effect of adjusting for possible confounders. We found a significant association between scores on the TPB-DQ factor Subjective norms at T4 and the subsequent disclosure behavior at T5 (HR = 2.019; 95% CI: 1.36 to 3.01). None of the other factors were significantly associated with disclosure behavior. Adjusting for potential confounders did not affect the outcomes. Our results show that parents with a stronger will to act in accordance with social norms favoring disclosure were more likely to start the disclosure process within the next 5-9 years. In particular, the co-parent’s opinion about disclosure was found to be an important motivating factor in disclosure behavior. Limitations, reasons for caution The present study concerns heterosexual-couple parents with children conceived following treatment with gametes from open-identity donors, which limits the generalizability of our findings to other groups and contexts. Other limitations include the risk of systematic attrition due to the longitudinal study design and decreased statistical power due to few participants. Wider implications of the findings Our findings highlight the importance of perceived subjective norms for parents’ disclosure behavior and indicate that the co-parent’s opinion about disclosure is particularly relevant. Counselors should focus on supporting prospective parents to initiate and maintain a healthy and open dialogue about concerns around family building with DC. Trial registration number Not applicable

Weight Stigma and Eating Behaviors in Young Adults across Weight Status

Objectives: For this study, we adopted and expanded the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by adding weight-related self-stigma (WSS) to explain avoidance in 3 eating behavior (EB) types – uncontrolled eating, emotional eating, and cognitive restraint – among overweight and obese persons and persons not overweight (underweight + normal weight). Methods: A total of 348 adults aged 18-30 years have participated in this study. Questionnaires were used to assess factors in TPB (viz, intention, attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control [PBC]) in relation to EB avoidance, WSS, and the 3 types of EB. In addition to structural equation modeling, path invariance was tested. Results: In general, WSS together with subjective norm and PBC were positively associated with intention to avoid EB; PBC to avoid EB was negatively associated with EB; however, intention to avoid EB and WSS were positively associated with EB. In addition, path invariance between the non-overweight and overweight groups was not supported. In the overweight group, WSS had a more significant impact on PBC. Conclusions: The extended TPB model successfully explained the intention to avoid EB and the negative effect caused by WSS. However, the intention-behavior gap emerged from our results. The underlying factors that prevent people from avoiding EB should be investigated further.

The influence of electronic word of mouth on green cosmetics purchase intention: evidence from young Vietnamese female consumers

PurposeThis study aims to examine the direct and indirect influence of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) on green cosmetics purchase intention of young Vietnamese female consumers through health concern, environmental concern and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) factors.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a survey of Vietnamese young female consumers that were analyzed using a partial least squares structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results reveal that eWOM has a direct effect on consumers’ purchase intention of green cosmetics. Among TPB factors, attitude was a greater influential predictor of purchase intention than subjective norms. However, the influence of perceived behavioral control on purchase intention was not supported. There were significant indirect effects of eWOM on purchase intention through the mediation of health concern, environmental concern and attitude.Practical implicationsTherefore, the findings of this study are relevant for marketers and managers as they provide valuable insights into understanding the motivational factors of consumers’ green cosmetics purchase intention. The results highlighted that eWOM could increase young female consumers’ environmental concern and health concern, which, in turn, influence a positive attitude toward green cosmetics. Hence, eWOM is a powerful vehicle for environmental and health messages; also, it can be an important channel of sensitization toward environmental and health issues and motivation of proenvironmental behavior and healthy lifestyle.Originality/valueThe study contributed to the literature by confirming the utility of the TPB model in predicting young women’s green cosmetics purchases in the context of Vietnam, an emerging market, which has largely been overlooked in the literature. The findings show that eWOM has a direct influence on green cosmetics purchase intentions of young Vietnamese female consumers and indirectly eWOM through health concern, environmental concern and two TPB factors (attitude and subjective norms).

Using the theory of planned behavior to predict parents' disclosure of donor conception to their children: a longitudinal study.

Can the application of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) help predict heterosexual parents' disclosure of donor conception to their children? Parents with a stronger will to act in accordance with social norms favoring disclosure were more likely to start the disclosure process within the next 5-9 years. In contrast to single mothers by choice and same-sex couples, heterosexual couples need to make an active decision to disclose their use of donor conception to their child. While disclosure at an early age is encouraged by international guidelines, many heterosexual-couple parents struggle with this. A previous study has found an association between parental scores of TPB factors and disclosure intention, but so far, no study has applied the TPB to predict parents' disclosure behavior. The present study is based on the fourth and fifth waves of data collection (T4 and T5) in a nation-wide longitudinal study. Participating parents had conceived through identity-release oocyte donation (n = 68, response rate 65%) and sperm donation (n = 62, response rate 56%) as part of a heterosexual couple. The present study is part of the prospective longitudinal Swedish Study on Gamete Donation (SSGD). Consecutive recruitment of couples starting oocyte or sperm donation treatment was conducted at all seven fertility clinics providing gamete donation in Sweden during a 3-year period (2005-2008). Participants were requested to complete postal surveys at five time points. The present study includes heterosexual-couple parents following oocyte or sperm donation who participated at the two latest time points when their children were 7-8 years old (T4), and 13-17 years old (T5). At T4, participants completed the study-specific TPB Disclosure Questionnaire (TPB-DQ) measuring attitudes and intentions to disclose the donor conception to the child, and disclosure behavior was assessed at both T4 and T5. Data from those participants who had not yet disclosed at T4 were analyzed using survival analysis with Cox regressions. Forty participants had not disclosed the donor conception to their children at T4 and, out of these, 13 had still not disclosed at T5. We found a significant association between scores of the TPB factor Subjective norms at T4 and their subsequent disclosure behavior at T5 (HR = 2.019; 95% CI: 1.36-3.01). None of the other factors were significantly associated with disclosure behavior. The present study concerns heterosexual-couple parents with children conceived following treatment with gametes from open-identity donors, which limits the generalizability of our findings to other groups and contexts. Other limitations include the risk of systematic attrition due to the longitudinal study design and decreased statistical power due to few participants. Our findings highlight the importance of perceived subjective norms for parents' disclosure behavior and indicate that the co-parent's opinion about disclosure is of particular relevance in this regard. Counselors should focus on supporting prospective parents to initiate and maintain a healthy and open dialogue about concerns around building a family with donor conception. The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council. The authors have no competing interests to declare. N/A.

Assessing scale reliability in citizen science motivational research: lessons learned from two case studies in Uganda

Citizen science (CS) is gaining global recognition for its potential to democratize and boost scientific research. As such, understanding why people contribute their time, energy, and skills to CS and why they (dis)continue their involvement is crucial. While several CS studies draw from existing theoretical frameworks in the psychology and volunteering fields to understand motivations, adapting these frameworks to CS research is still lagging and applications in the Global South remain limited. Here we investigated the reliability of two commonly applied psychometric tests, the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), to understand participant motivations and behaviour, in two CS networks in southwest Uganda, one addressing snail-borne diseases and another focused on natural hazards. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire administered to the CS participants and a control group that consisted of candidate citizen scientists, under group and individual interview settings. Cronbach’s alpha, as an a priori measure of reliability, indicated moderate to low reliability for the VFI and TPB factors per CS network per interview setting. With evidence of highly skewed distributions, non-unidimensional data, correlated errors and lack of tau-equivalence, alpha’s underlying assumptions were often violated. More robust measures, McDonald’s omega and Greatest lower bound, generally showed higher reliability but confirmed overall patterns with VFI factors systematically scoring higher, and some TPB factors—perceived behavioural control, intention, self-identity, and moral obligation—scoring lower. Metadata analysis revealed that most problematic items often had weak item–total correlations. We propose that alpha should not be reported blindly without paying heed to the nature of the test, the assumptions, and the items comprising it. Additionally, we recommend caution when adopting existing theoretical frameworks to CS research and propose the development and validation of context-specific psychometric tests tailored to the unique CS landscape, especially for the Global South.

Examining Cash Waqf from the Perspectives of Malaysian Actual Donors

This study examined the cash waqf giving behaviour in Malaysia covering Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang. The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was employed as a point of departure to observe the factors influencing the cash waqf behaviours involving 777. SPSS 27 was then utilised to assess and consider the data to test hypotheses and draw statistical conclusions. The TPB’s factors were instrumental in shaping the expansion of cash waqf giving in Malaysia. The added variable, Islamic altruism was also statistically influential and played an important role in determining the behaviour formation. Besides, in the post hoc analyses, we discovered a mediating role of attitude for the tested and examined independent variables involved. The usefulness of the results obtained was confined to the theory used as well as the geographical areas chosen. The results obtained can be learned by Malaysian waqf institutions to further strengthen the waqf collections by optimising the significant variables found in this study. This study is the first to check the effects of the TPB's factors in the context of actual behaviour, which adds more knowledge to the existing waqf literature available in the world.

Cotton farmers’ intention to adopt biochar as climate change adaptation and sustainable land management strategy in Benin

Innovative agricultural practices represent the future of the world in the sustainable improvement of agricultural productivity. Sustainable farming practices have been recognized and accepted by agricultural development stakeholders, to provide a wide range of social, economic, financial, and environmental benefits. Despite this recognition, the application of these practices in the literature has focused on socio-economic and technical aspects while the psychosocial elements of the application have received limited attention. To contribute to a broad understanding of the concept, this study aims at analyzing the psychosociological motivations of cotton farmers to use biochar as a sustainable land management strategy. Adopting a survey research design, a sample of 528 farmers in Benin (West Africa) was interviewed on the pillars of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) (Attitude, Subjective norms, Behavioral Control) and three other aspects (Climate change perception, Past behavior and Productivity risk perception) for an extension of TPB. The data collected were analyzed using the structural equation model of the SmartPLS 4 program. The results of this study confirmed all TPB relationships except for the construction of the “Attitude" pillar where Perceived ease of use had no significant influence. Apart from the classical TPB factors, perception of climate change and past behavior in adopting new agricultural practices positively affect the application of biochar. However, possible yield decreases at the beginning of biochar use demotivate farmers to take initiatives in this direction. The study notes that the role of a good perception and knowledge of the effects of climate change and the benefits of biochar action are elements to be considered in promoting sustainable cotton farming and agricultural practices.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE VOLUNTARY SOCIAL INSURANCE PARTICIPATION INTENTION: THE CASE OF SMALL TRADERS IN HO CHI MINH CITY

This study aims to evaluate the factors affecting voluntary social insurance participation of small traders. The proposed research model was based on merging Theory of Planned behavior (TPB) and Technology acceptance model (TAM) to examine how to form the participating voluntary social insurance intentions. The research sample was taken from 322 people who are small traders in Ho Chi Minh City. The results of data analysis (CB-SEM technique) show that attitude is an important factor affecting intention. Other factors in TAM and TPB also significantly influence voluntary social insurance participation intention. In the conclusion of this study, implications for voluntary social insurance policies were presented.

Exploring parental attachment, perceived social support, theory of planned behaviour and the safe driving of young people

Few studies have investigated psychosocial influences on the safe (as opposed to risky) driving behaviours of young people. In addition, there has been little consideration of interpersonal factors such as attachment between parents and children in this context. Examination of these factors is warranted given the overrepresentation of young drivers in crashes; that engagement and non-engagement in both proactive safe and risky behaviours are conceptually different; and that parents are commonly the main driving supervisor when young people learn to drive. The study was underpinned by the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), which was extended with attachment theory, perceived social support, and descriptive norms. Predictors of safe driving intentions and self-reported safe driving behaviours were explored with a sample of provisionally licensed drivers aged 17–20 years from Queensland, Australia. Three scenarios were investigated where safe driving was examined in general (N = 209) and in relation to driving in two common driving situations: stormy/raining conditions (N = 213) and on the highway (N = 199). Participants completed an online survey measuring attitude, subjective norms, Perceived Behavioural Control, and intentions from the TPB, as well as descriptive norms, attachment avoidance and anxiety, and perceived social support (emotional, instrumental, informational, appraisal) for safe driving. Two weeks later, a subsample (n = 66) completed a second survey asking them to report their behavioural opportunity and engagement in general safe driving, and the two safe driving situations. Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted to investigate safe driving intentions. PBC and attitude were consistent significant predictors of intentions. Subjective norms predicted intention in the two driving situations but not in general safe driving. Informational support was a significant predictor of intention for general safe driving. Attachment avoidance and anxiety did not significantly predict intentions in any scenario. However, there may be benefit in investigating the action of attachment style on safe driving intentions via parental modelling. Parental modelling was a significant predictor of general safe driving intentions and may be related to attachment style. Due to participant attrition, investigation of self-reported safe driving behaviours was confined to bivariate correlations with intentions and PBC, with no significant correlations found. The findings suggest that TPB factors including PBC, attitudes and subjective norms may be important determinants of intentions for safe driving of young novice drivers. These findings could be used to inform development of road safety inventions such as media campaigns and demonstrate the value of further attention to safety versus risky behaviours in driving research.

Online sexual exploitation of adolescents in Tanzania: Explaining help-seeking intention using the theory of planned behaviour

BackgroundThe online sexual exploitation (OSE) of children and adolescents is an emerging global concern, particularly following the increase in Internet and social media utilisation among schoolchildren during the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous empirical studies have investigated the factors affecting children’s and adolescents’ seeking help for this problem in Tanzania. However, whether their explanations can be applied to understand similar cases in the cyberspace remain uncertain. ObjectivesDriven by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), we conducted this study in Tanzania in 2022 to understand adolescents’ help-seeking intention for OSE. Two primary research objectives included (a) examining four TPB variables (i.e., attitude towards seeking help, perceived social support, generalised self-efficacy, and perceived social stigmas) as determinants of adolescents’ help-seeking intention for OSE and (b) assessing the moderating effects of two types of social stigma on the relationship between the TPB factors and adolescents’ help-seeking intention for OSE. MethodsUsing a cross-sectional survey design, we collected data from a stratified random sample of 1,014 secondary school adolescents recruited from two regions (i.e., Dar es Salaam and Ruvuma) in Tanzania. The data were analysed using hierarchical multiple regression. ConclusionsThe results indicate that adolescents’ attitude towards seeking help, perceived social support, and generalised self-efficacy were significantly associated with adolescents’ help-seeking intention for OSE in general. Through moderation analyses, we found that social stigma for sexual exploitation moderated the effect of generalised self-efficacy on explaining adolescents’ intention to seek help from family members while social stigma for receiving help moderated generalised self-efficacy on explaining their intention to seek help from friends.

Understanding factors influencing healthcare workers' intention towards the COVID-19 vaccine.

Globally, healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring Coronavirus infection. In addition, they are role models for the general public concerning attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, they play a critical role in successfully promoting practices aiming to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 infection. Therefore, this study broadly based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) explores the factors influencing HCWs' intention to be vaccinated. An online survey was administered using Google Form to collect data from HCWs working in the public health sector of Pakistan. The sample included 813 participants, two-thirds were female, and one-third were male. In addition, 41.5% of them were aged between 26-35 years, 32.6% had master's level education, 25% were nurses, and 57.7% of them were living in urban areas. Data analysis was run using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The research findings reveal the positive and significant effect of the TPB factors (attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) and the extended factor of vaccine confidence on HCWs' intention to be vaccinated. This study's model explains 66.4% of variations in HCWs' intention to be vaccinated.

Examining Tourist Visit Intention to Nature-Based Tourism in Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

The study aims to investigate tourist visit intentions to nature-based tourism destinations after the COVID-19 pandemic. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used as the primary theoretical foundation to foresee tourist visit intention. This study used a quantitative research design with a purposive sampling technique to collect data. A total of 325 datasets were found to be suitable for the next analysis using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that entirely of the TPB factors are significant in influencing tourist visit intention. Specifically, tourist attitude has the greatest influence on tourist visit intention. It implies that the TPB can effectively forecast tourist visit intention to nature-based tourism destinations. Consequently, destination managers should consider the TPB elements when making decisions.
 Keywords: nature-based tourism, theory planned behavior, visit intentions, post- COVID-19, PLS-SEM

Members’ Intention to Participate in Farmer Producer Company Activities in Cauvery Delta Region of Tamil Nadu

Farmer Producer Company(FPC) is one of the tools to tackle the demand-driven market and march towards the development of deprived small and marginal farmers. Members’ active participation in FPC activities is essential to resolve backward and forward linkage issues. Members could easily access speciality markets and obtain better price for agricultural products in the conventional sector, if they consistently participate in FPC activities. The present study applied the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to examine the intention of members to participate in FPC activities. The moderating role of landholdings on the relationship between various TPB factors and farmers' intentions to participate in FPC activities was also studied. The study relied on primary data collected from 382 members from the Cauvery Delta Region of Tamil Nadu using a proportionate random sampling technique. The PLS-SEM results revealed that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control have a significant positive influence on the participation of the members in FPC activities. There is a significant moderating effect of landholding on the relationship between TPB factors and participation intention. The study has put forward the major implication for improving the participation of members in FPC activities.

‘Do I share because I care?’: Investigating the factors influencing consumer's adoption of shared consumption

AbstractThe preference structure of consumers remains a perplexing issue for sharing platforms. This study aims to broaden the understanding of shared consumption (SC) adoption. It employed the theory of interpersonal behaviour (TIB) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to propose a conceptual model integrating cognitive, affective and normative beliefs to explain sharing intention. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted using a self‐administered questionnaire to gather responses. Using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS‐SEM), the assessment of 298 valid responses revealed that economic incentives, normative beliefs, environmental concerns and perceived moral norms are significant predictors of sharing intention. The results of this study offer insights into the fact that consumers are cognizant of the sustainability concern and are ready to amend their consumption patterns driven by moral norms. Additionally, non‐cognitive factors like freedom from ownership hassles and availability uncertainty influence sharing intention. The study's theoretical contributions include extending the application of TIB to shared consumption behaviour and integrating non‐cognitive factors with TPB factors to understand shared consumption intention better. Accordingly, the study offers guidance to marketers for promoting shared consumption.

The Impact of the Density of Individual Social Networks on WeChat Usage in Intimate Relationships among Chinese Youngsters

WeChat has become the most popular type of social media among youngsters in China. They use it for various reasons including communicating in intimate relationships. This study aims to investigate the impact of the density of individuals’ social networks on WeChat Usage in Intimate Relationships among Chinese youngsters, guided by the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). An online questionnaire was constructed and disseminated to respondents online. In total, 923 undergraduate students from Chinese universities completed the questionnaires. Utilizing Structural Equation Modelling, findings show that the density of individuals’ social networks has a limited impact on WeChat usage. On the other hand, TPB factors such as subjective norms and perceived control bring a substantial impact on WeChat usage, while attitude has a less significant impact. These results indicate that Chinese youngsters exhibit strong attributes of the collective culture. This study also suggests that future social media research should place more emphasis on cultural and social factors.

A Study on Purchase Behavior of Bio Cosmetics Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior(TPB): Mediating Effect of Brand Image

The purpose of this study is to examine the TPB(Theory of Planned Behavior) factors that affect the purchasing behavior of bio cosmetics consumers and to examine the mediating effect of brand image in the relationship between them. In this survey, cosmetics consumers aged 20 or older residing nationwide were selected as the population. Bio-cosmetics consumers in their 20s or older living in the Seoul metropolitan area were selected as a sample group, and an online survey was conducted for about 4 weeks in October 2022. For statistical processing of the collected data, multi-regression analysis and bootstrapping were performed using SPSS 28.0 and SPSS Macro 3.4 to verify the hypothesis. As a result of the study, Attitude, Subjective Norm, and Perceived Behavioral Control had a significant effect on purchase behavior, and the mediating effect of brand image was confirmed. Therefore, in order to increase consumers' purchasing behavior, it seems to be very important in terms of marketing to build an image such as awareness and trust in the brand as well as the functional efficacy of bio-cosmetics. These research results will have great implications for the bio-cosmetics industry preparing for the post-corona era.

The moderating role of individualism/collectivism in predicting male Chinese university students' exercise behavior using the theory of planned behavior

The purpose of this study was to check the moderating role of individualism/collectivism in predicting male Chinese university students’ exercise behavior using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model. The TPB model was validated through SEM (structure equation model), and the moderating effect of individualism and collectivism was validated through a hierarchical regression and simple slopes analysis using a sample collected from 115 male Chinese university students. The results showed that the product terms of individualism and TPB factors were not able to significantly predict exercise intention after inclusion in the regression equation, nor were the product terms of collectivism and PBC (perceived behavior control) able to do so. However, the product terms of collectivism and attitude, as well as collectivism and SN (subjective norm) were able to significantly predict exercise intention when included in the regression equation. That is, horizontal and vertical collectivism can significantly moderate TPB constructs, primarily by moderating the relationship between attitude-exercise intention and SN-exercise intention. This study found that the predictive validity of exercise attitudes on exercise intentions in TPB constructs is greater only at low levels of horizontal and vertical collectivism and low at high levels. The predictive validity of SN is greater at high levels of horizontal and vertical collectivism and low in the inverse case. This research serves to enrich the theoretical framework for the theory of planned behavior and provides useful information for understanding university students’ exercise intentions and behaviors.

Verifying the usefulness of the theory of planned behavior model for predicting illegal use of online content: the role of outcome expectancies and social loafing

BackgroundCurrently, laypeople can earn profit by producing content; therefore, it should be noted that the unauthorized use of intellectual creations or possessions can cause legal issues and undermine the producers’ desire to create. This study verified the usefulness of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model for predicting the illegal use of online content among South Korean college students and examined the roles played by outcome expectancies and social loafing in this model.MethodsThe participants, 369 male and female Korean college students, were aged between 18 and 31 years (M = 22.12, SD = 2.33). We measured the illegal use of online content and the factors of the TPB model, as well as outcome expectancies and social loafing with regard to participants’ illegal use of online content. Correlational analysis, stepwise regression analysis, path analysis for the TPB model, and analyses of the moderated model were performed using SPSS and AMOS.ResultsAll TPB factors, outcome expectancies, and social loafing were positively correlated with the illegal use of online content. Stepwise regression analysis showed that intention, social loafing, outcome expectancies, and perceived behavioral control were significant predictors of the illegal use of online content. A TPB model, including a direct path from perceived behavioral control to behavior, was validated to analyze the illegal use of online content. This model was found to be moderated by outcome expectancy.ConclusionThis study suggests that the TPB is useful for predicting the illegal use of online content and that outcome expectancies and social loafing also play an important role in the illegal use of online content among college students. The findings of this study provide useful information for future research and could aid in preventing illegal online content use among adolescents and young adults.