IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i22p4405-d285697.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Empirical Study of the Impact of Social Interaction on Public Pro-Environmental Behavior

Author

Listed:
  • Junjun Zheng

    (Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Mingmiao Yang

    (Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Mingyuan Xu

    (Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Cheng Zhao

    (Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Cong Shao

    (Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

Abstract

Public pro-environmental behavior plays a positive role in solving environmental pollution problems. In a real socioeconomic system, because public pro-environmental behavior has characteristics of externality and interactivity, a number of factors, such as external information and the behavior of others, could affect the pro-environmental behavior of individuals who optimize their own strategies by interacting with the outside world; thus, public pro-environmental behavior and social interaction are very closely related. In order to study the impact of social interaction on public pro-environmental behavior and its mechanisms, the authors of this paper conducted an empirical study based on an Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression model and data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS). The empirical results show that: (1) social interaction has a promoting effect on public environmental protection behavior, and social interaction has a more significant impact on private environmental protection behavior; (2) the public will not only adjust their own environmental protection behavior by directly observing the behavior of others, they will also obtain environmental protection knowledge through social interactions which thus have a positive impact on their behavior. It is of great practical significance to study the impact of social interactions on public pro-environmental behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Junjun Zheng & Mingmiao Yang & Mingyuan Xu & Cheng Zhao & Cong Shao, 2019. "An Empirical Study of the Impact of Social Interaction on Public Pro-Environmental Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:22:p:4405-:d:285697
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/22/4405/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/22/4405/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael Luchs & Todd Mooradian, 2012. "Sex, Personality, and Sustainable Consumer Behaviour: Elucidating the Gender Effect," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 127-144, March.
    2. Monier Sylvette & Hassan Daniel & Nichèle Véronique & Simioni Michel, 2009. "Organic Food Consumption Patterns," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 7(2), pages 1-25, December.
    3. Mo, Pak Hung, 2001. "Corruption and Economic Growth," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 66-79, March.
    4. Glenn Ellison & Drew Fudenberg, 1995. "Word-of-Mouth Communication and Social Learning," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 110(1), pages 93-125.
    5. Scott J. Callan & Janet M. Thomas, 2006. "Analyzing Demand For Disposal And Recycling Services: A Systems Approach," Eastern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Association, vol. 32(2), pages 221-240, Spring.
    6. Ada Ferrer-i-Carbonell & Paul Frijters, 2004. "How Important is Methodology for the estimates of the determinants of Happiness?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 114(497), pages 641-659, July.
    7. Jeffrey R. Brown & Zoran Ivković & Paul A. Smith & Scott Weisbenner, 2008. "Neighbors Matter: Causal Community Effects and Stock Market Participation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 63(3), pages 1509-1531, June.
    8. Pothitou, Mary & Hanna, Richard F. & Chalvatzis, Konstantinos J., 2016. "Environmental knowledge, pro-environmental behaviour and energy savings in households: An empirical study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 1217-1229.
    9. Charles F. Manski, 2000. "Economic Analysis of Social Interactions," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 14(3), pages 115-136, Summer.
    10. Meyer, Andrew, 2015. "Does education increase pro-environmental behavior? Evidence from Europe," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 108-121.
    11. Hassan, Daniel & Monier-Dilhan, Sylvette & Nichele, Veronique & Simioni, Michel, 2009. "Organic Food Consumption Patterns in France," 2009 Pre-Conference Workshop, August 16, 2009, Diet and Obesity: Role of Prices and Policies 53342, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Katarzyna Pawlewicz & Iwona Cieślak, 2024. "An Analysis of the Relationships between Social Capital Levels and Selected Green Economy Indicators on the Example of Polish Voivodeships," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-22, February.
    2. Ayodeji P. Ifegbesan & Isaac T. Rampedi & Biodun Ogunyemi & Lee-Ann Modley, 2022. "Predicting Pro-Environmental Behaviour amongst Citizens in African Countries: A Cross-National Study amongst Six African Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-18, July.
    3. Guanglin Bai & Yun Bai, 2020. "Voluntary or Forced: Different Effects of Personal and Social Norms on Urban Residents’ Environmental Protection Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-17, May.
    4. Ma, Yuan & Liu, Changshan, 2023. "Emotional or rational choice: The influence of individual personality on energy-saving behavior," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    5. Xi Ouyang & Wen’e Qi & Donghui Song & Jianjun Zhou, 2022. "Does Subjective Well-Being Promote Pro-Environmental Behaviors? Evidence from Rural Residents in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-19, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tang, Chor Foon & Abosedra, Salah & Naghavi, Navaz, 2021. "Does the quality of institutions and education strengthen the quality of the environment? Evidence from a global perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    2. Ayodeji P. Ifegbesan & Isaac T. Rampedi & Biodun Ogunyemi & Lee-Ann Modley, 2022. "Predicting Pro-Environmental Behaviour amongst Citizens in African Countries: A Cross-National Study amongst Six African Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-18, July.
    3. Liang, Pinghan & Guo, Shiqi, 2015. "Social interaction, Internet access and stock market participation—An empirical study in China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 883-901.
    4. Meyer, Andrew, 2015. "Does education increase pro-environmental behavior? Evidence from Europe," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 108-121.
    5. Kaustia, Markku & Knüpfer, Samuli, 2012. "Peer performance and stock market entry," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(2), pages 321-338.
    6. Kiichi Tokuoka, 2017. "Is stock investment contagious among siblings?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1505-1528, June.
    7. Christian Cordes & Stephan Müller & Georg Schwesinger & Sarianna M. Lundan, 2022. "Governance structures, cultural distance, and socialization dynamics: further challenges for the modern corporation," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 371-397, April.
    8. Monier-Dilhan Sylvette & Poméon Thomas & Böhm Michael & Brečić Ruzica & Csillag Peter & Donati Michele & Ferrer-Pérez Hugo & Gauvrit Lisa & Gil José M. & Hoàng Việt & Lilavanichakul Apichaya & Majewsk, 2021. "Do Food Quality Schemes and Net Price Premiums Go Together?," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 19(2), pages 79-94, December.
    9. Mathieu Lambotte & Stephane De Cara & Valentin Bellassen, 2020. "Once a quality-food consumer, always a quality-food consumer? Consumption patterns of organic, label rouge, and geographical indications in French scanner data," Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies, INRA Department of Economics, vol. 101(1), pages 147-172.
    10. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/3ile1g7sqe8kfpi2d1e7jp82im is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Dieci, Roberto & Schmitt, Noemi & Westerhoff, Frank H., 2022. "Boom-bust cycles and asset market participation waves: Momentum, value, risk and herding," BERG Working Paper Series 177, Bamberg University, Bamberg Economic Research Group.
    12. Andrew E. Clark & Nicolai Kristensen & Niels Westergård‐Nielsen, 2009. "Job Satisfaction and Co‐worker Wages: Status or Signal?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 119(536), pages 430-447, March.
    13. Godechot, Olivier & Senik, Claudia, 2015. "Wage comparisons in and out of the firm. Evidence from a matched employer–employee French database," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 395-410.
    14. Gregorio Caetano & Vikram Maheshri, 2013. "Do 'Broken Windows' Matter? Identifying Dynamic Spillovers in Criminal Behavior," Working Papers 2013-252-22, Department of Economics, University of Houston.
    15. Terlau, Wiltrud & Hirsch, Darya, 2015. "Sustainable Consumption and the Attitude-Behaviour-Gap Phenomenon - Causes and Measurements towards a Sustainable Development," 2015 International European Forum (144th EAAE Seminar), February 9-13, 2015, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 206233, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    16. Clark, Andrew E. & Etilé, Fabrice, 2011. "Happy house: Spousal weight and individual well-being," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 1124-1136.
    17. Yijia Wang & Senwei Huang & Jia Liu, 2023. "Research on the Rural Environmental Governance and Interaction Effects of Farmers under the Perspective of Circular Economy—Evidence from Three Provinces of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-20, September.
    18. Cesare Fracassi, 2017. "Corporate Finance Policies and Social Networks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 63(8), pages 2420-2438, August.
    19. Terlau, Wiltrud & Hirsch, Darya, 2015. "Sustainable Consumption and the Attitude-Behaviour-Gap Phenomenon - Causes and Measurements towards a Sustainable Development," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 6(3), pages 1-16, July.
    20. Schroeck, Rebecca, 2011. "A Demand System Analysis of Organic and Conventional Fresh Milk in Germany Segmented by Consumer Groups," 2011 International Congress, August 30-September 2, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland 115995, European Association of Agricultural Economists.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:22:p:4405-:d:285697. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.