Greening the environment through recycling: an empirical study (original) (raw)
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This study attempts to contemplate the respondents’ behaviors regarding recycling, with the purpose of identifying the factors that influence their behaviors. The study is based on a survey that was conducted with 230 nationwide university students and guidelines borrowed from the Theory of Planned Behavior and The Theory of Reasoned action. The data collected was evaluated by applying the Structure Equation Modelling technique. The study concluded that peoples’ attitudes are largely subject to the moral values and general norms of their own society. Additionally, an individual’s response towards recycling is greatly determined by the extent of his/her awareness towards the environment, as well as his/her personal knowledge. Another conclusion was that an individual’s past experience towards recycling contributes to his/her attitude (willingness or apprehension about recycling) in the future. Furthermore, although the convenience and cost of recycling were found to be reasonably significant determinants about one’s recycling behavior, it was determined that time commitment is the most decisive factor that influences an individual’s willingness to or not to recycle. The study’s findings have not only established the authority of Theory of Planned Behaviour and Theory of Reasoned Action, but it has also presented propositions and recommendations for future research. The inferences were based on the study’s respondents, hence, so their validity can be applied to various scenarios involving local educational institutions or government structures. The goal of the study is to encourage people to engage in positive recycling behavior
Investigating the Determinants of University Students’ Recycling Behaviour
Sosyo ekonomi, 2023
Wastes spread to the environment negatively affect the health of humans and all other creatures. It is the responsibility of each person to assess the waste generated correctly. Recycling is an applicable option for environmental protection. This study defines university students' recycling behaviours based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour using Structural Equation Modelling. The results of the study, it is found that subjective norms and perceived behaviour control have a significant impact on students' recycling behaviour. Furthermore, intention partially mediates the positive relationship between subjective norm and recycling behaviour and between perceived behavioural control and recycling behaviour.
Factors Influencing Recycling Intention among University Students
International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering, 2019
In Malaysia, the awareness of recycling to reduce household waste among Malaysians are quite low. Research has shown that the Malaysians' recycling rate was as low as five percent only. Hence, the purpose of this research is to determine the factors influencing the recycling intention among university students. Seven hypotheses were conducted with seven factors which were attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, past behavior, perceived moral obligation, knowledge and inconvenience, which were believed to influence the recycling intention among UTHM students. In this research, 375 UniversitiTun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) students were selected randomly from the total of 11888 students to complete the questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed quantitatively by using descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The results showed that all the factors were positively correlated with recycling intention. However, the regression analysis indicated that past behavior and subjective norm had more impact on recycling intention if compared to other factors. The findings of this study could improve the awareness of recycling and encouraging the recycling intention among Malaysians.
Environmental Concern and Recycling Behaviour
Procedia Economics and Finance, 2016
This study was carried out to determine recycling behaviour among 143 householders in Selangor. Data were analysed using the Structural Equation Modelling technique. Analysis shows that environmental concern is important towards attitude, and attitude helps to enhance the environmental concern to improve recycling behaviour. This study may help the understanding among householders of their attitude towards recycling. The findings will help the authority to address the issue.
International Journal of Consumer Studies, 2014
University students are a key group for research since they will be the consumers and the intellectual vanguard of the future and, therefore, a reference group for other consumers. Accordingly, data obtained from university students in Spain (n = 640) and the US (n = 597) were analysed to identify the main internal factors which lead them to participate in recycling activities. Given that morality-based theories, and more specifically the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) Theory, might be very useful in explaining pro-environmental behaviour which requires personal sacrifices and whose benefits are mainly for the environment itself, that is the theoretical approach that we take for the selection and analysis of factors. Our findings support our thesis that environmental knowledge is a factor that should be (but is not currently) considered in the framework of VBN theory for predicting recycling behaviour. Although university students from Spain and the US have very different recycling rates, the internal factors that explain their recycling behaviour are very similar (motivations, perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE), environmental knowledge and gender). The elasticity of recycling behaviour to changes in internal factors is estimated with a view to making predictions, and altruistic motivations and PCE are found to be the factors that have the greatest effect in terms of improving recycling behaviour, followed by environmental knowledge. These predictions could help university policy makers take better decisions about the factors on which they need to act to increase recycling activities. Some guidelines for consideration in future intervention strategies to encourage this group to recycle are also provided. bs_bs_banner International Journal of Consumer Studies
Focusing on Recycling Practice to Promote Sustainable Behavior
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2012
In this paper, attitudes toward sustainable behavior refer to an individual's responsibility in using the natural resources granted by Allah S.W.T. while taking into consideration the interests of future generations. These actions must start from oneself, and include simple and immediately necessary actions. For example, recycling is a simple practice that must be engaged in by all individuals. As a leading university that launched a SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM involving the majority of its highly educated community, its image would be tarnished if this simple practice was not carried out. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), through its zero waste campus initiative and in collaboration with the research group of Alam Flora Sdn Bhd, has deployed recycling activities effectively since 2010 using an improved a management recycling system, improving existing facilities and intensifying awareness campaigns. However, the response from the UKM community is low, with an average recycling rate of 1.93% and an average of five persons/week who sent recyclable items to the UKM Recycling Center between April 2010 and September 2011. Surveys taken regarding the involvement of the UKM community in recycling activity are discussed to obtain an overview of the facilities and the changes required to improve the recycling management system. Based on a problem analysis using a fishbone diagram, peoples' attitudes are shown to be a primary cause of the low response to the recycling program. The targeted recycling rate of 20% requires the continued cooperation and efforts of the entire UKM community to promote an educated culture of sustainability at the University.
Investigation of Attitudes and Behaviors Towards Recycling with Theory Planned Behavior
Journal of Economy Culture and Society
Recycling is defined as the re-inclusion of wastes that can be reused in the production process by undergoing various processes. At the same time, recycling is seen as the most important environmental behavior that reduces the amount of solid waste and conserves resources. Considering the importance of recycling for a sustainable future, it is of great importance to determine the factors affecting the recycling behavior of individuals. Due to the rapid increase in environmental problems and their extremely negative impact on life, it is necessary to determine the environmental and recycling behaviors of individuals and produce solutions. In this study, attitudes and behaviors towards recycling were investigated with the help of a model proposed within the scope of Theory Planned Behavior (TPB). The analysis of the data was made using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) Smart-PLS software, which can be used successfully in small-volume samples and does not require the assumption of multivariate normality. It was determined because of PLS-SEM fit criteria that TPB is suitable for explaining recycling attitudes and behaviors. As a result of the analysis, it was revealed that attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control positively and significantly affect recycling intentions.
Understanding and Predicting Recycling Behavior: An Application of the Theory of Reasoned Action
Journal of Environmental Systems, 1992
Longitudinal data from university students (« = 349) was analyzed to test the predictive power of a modified version of the theory of reasoned action (TRA) in the area of recycling behavior [1]. Additionally, gender differences were examined. Overall, the model was supported. Specifically, the impact of attitudes and norms on recycling behavior was mediated by intentions to recycle. Past experience with recycling was directly related to intent to recycle and to recycling behavior. The relationship between norms and intent to recycle was statistically significantly greater for females than for males. Past experience with recycling was directly related to behavior for males only. The findings suggest that gender-specific interventions may be necessary for influencing recycling behavior among adolescents and young adults. Behavioral scientists know how difficult it is to understand, much less predict, individual behavior. In an effort to increase our understanding of behavior, numerous theoretical models have been developed. Rational decision-making models, including the theory of reasoned action (TRA) are one type of theoretical framework used for understanding behavioral choices [1,2]. The TRA posits that the performance of a volitional behavior is affected directly by a person's intention to perform the behavior and is only indirectly affected by one's attitudes and normative beliefs regarding that behavior. Behavioral intention
Sustainability
Household waste and the exploitation of the environment are among the alarming and unsustainable consumption patterns that are harmful to the ecosystem. Hence, this study aims to determine the factors influencing recycling behavior by extending the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to an analysis of how recycling practices are fostered among citizens and how sustainable development goals (SDG) are upheld. The extended TPB model includes moral norms, convenience, and the cost of recycling. A total of 170 responses were received via the purposive sampling technique. The research model was analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modeling technique (PLS-SEM). Results show that subjective norms, moral norms, convenience, and the cost to recycle positively influenced recycling behavior. Environmental awareness was found to heavily influence attitudes, but attitudes were not found to translate into behavior. This research provides significant insight and a better underst...
The Role of Motivation in the Consumers’ Recycling Behaviour.
This paper presents the results of a survey conducted in Thessaloniki Greece, in a probability sample of 375 households, selected with a combination of the two-stage area sampling and the systematic sampling method. The main aim was to understand more deeply which factors motivate consumers to engage into Recycling Behavior. Besides Motivation, selected demographic characteristics, Knowledge about recycling issues, specific Recycling Attitudes were also examined with regard to the Recycling Behavior of the sample. The results, verifying previous research, indicated that consumers holding higher education and higher incomes get more involved in recycling activities than their counterparts do. Knowledge and Recycling Attitudes indicated positive, moderate, statistically significant relationships with Recycling Behavior. However, it was found that the most powerful factor to describe and predict Recycling Behavior is Motivation. Further analysis revealed additional indications that social incentives can be the type of Motivation that affects consumers more strongly.