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Personal and Media Factors Related to Citizens’ Pro-environmental Behavioral Intention against Haze in China: A Moderating Analysis of TPB

Author

Listed:
  • Xiaodong Yang

    (School of Journalism and Communication, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China)

  • Liang Chen

    (School of Communication and Design, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

  • Lai Wei

    (School of Journalism and Communication, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China)

  • Qi Su

    (School of Journalism and Communication, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China)

Abstract

This study extends the theory of planned behavior by taking communication factors into account to examine the determinants of pro-environmental behavioral intention in haze mitigation. Unlike other theory of planned behavior (TPB) extension studies, we shift the focus of inquiry from examining the mediating role of TPB variables to investigating the moderating role in promoting pro-environmental behavior. Using an online survey in China, the results indicated that attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and attention to haze-related efficacy messages were positively associated with pro-environmental behavioral intention. Notably, attention to haze-related threat messages had no significant relationship with behavioral intention. Moreover, moderation analyses revealed that the interaction effects between attention to efficacy messages and attention to threat messages on behavioral intention vary among people with different attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Theoretically, this study contributes to the literature of the TPB by analyzing its moderating role in promoting behavior change. Findings from this study suggest the importance of disseminating distinctive media messages to audiences with different personality traits, which is beneficial for practitioners to tailor specific messages in environmental campaigns.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaodong Yang & Liang Chen & Lai Wei & Qi Su, 2020. "Personal and Media Factors Related to Citizens’ Pro-environmental Behavioral Intention against Haze in China: A Moderating Analysis of TPB," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-18, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:7:p:2314-:d:338676
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Huang, Huiping, 2016. "Media use, environmental beliefs, self-efficacy, and pro-environmental behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(6), pages 2206-2212.
    2. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    3. Wen Xue & Donald W. Hine & Anthony D. G. Marks & Wendy J. Phillips & Patrick Nunn & Shouying Zhao, 2016. "Combining threat and efficacy messaging to increase public engagement with climate change in Beijing, China," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 137(1), pages 43-55, July.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Jinchen Xie & Chuntian Lu, 2022. "Relations among Pro-Environmental Behavior, Environmental Knowledge, Environmental Perception, and Post-Materialistic Values in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-11, January.
    3. Zakir Shah & Lu Wei & Usman Ghani, 2021. "The Use of Social Networking Sites and Pro-Environmental Behaviors: A Mediation and Moderation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-21, February.
    4. Soowoong Hwang & Jiho Lee & Dojin Jang, 2024. "Climate Change Awareness and Pro-Environmental Intentions in Sports Fans: Applying the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior Model for Sustainable Spectating," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-17, April.
    5. Abida Begum & Liu Jingwei & Maqsood Haider & Muhammad Maroof Ajmal & Salim Khan & Heesup Han, 2021. "Impact of Environmental Moral Education on Pro-Environmental Behaviour: Do Psychological Empowerment and Islamic Religiosity Matter?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-19, February.

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