Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Sustainable Marketing and the Challenges of Green Marketing Communication: Survey of Consumer Attitudes and Buying Behaviour for Sustainable Products in the Czech Republic

Not relevant to microplastics — this survey examines Czech consumer attitudes toward sustainable products, exploring the gap between professed environmental values and actual purchasing behavior, and the challenges of green marketing communication.

2024 WSB Journal of Business and Finance 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Who worries about microplastics? The relative importance of personal values and individual risk judgements / ¿A quién le preocupan los microplásticos? La importancia relativa de los valores personales y los juicios individuales de riesgo

Researchers surveyed nearly 700 people in Norway to understand what drives public worry about microplastic pollution. They found that personal values and individual risk perceptions were the strongest predictors of concern, more so than demographic factors or general environmental attitudes. The study suggests that communication strategies about microplastic risks should account for how people personally evaluate threats rather than relying solely on scientific information.

2024 PsyEcology Bilingual Journal of Environmental Psychology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Young Adults’ Intentions toward the Prevention of Microplastic Pollution in Taiwan: Examining Personality and Information Processing in Fear-Appeal Communication

A Taiwanese study examined how young adults' psychological reactance influenced their response to fear-based messaging about microplastic pollution. People with higher reactance were less persuaded by threat-focused communication and less likely to form pro-environmental intentions. The findings suggest tailoring anti-pollution campaigns to minimize defensive reactions.

2022 Sustainability 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Pro-environmental behaviour is undermined by disgust sensitivity: The case of excessive laundering

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a social psychology study examining how disgust sensitivity and pro-environmental identity conflict to drive excessive laundry washing behavior among European consumers.

2024 PLoS ONE 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of intention to purchase environmentally friendly packaging in the city of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

Despite its title referencing environmentally friendly packaging, this paper is a consumer behavior survey studying what factors drive Brazilians to intend to buy eco-friendly packaging — not original research on microplastic pollution or its effects. It examines environmental concern and personal values as predictors of purchasing decisions and is not directly relevant to microplastic contamination or human health.

2025 Revista de Gestão Ambiental e Sustentabilidade 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Explicitly and Implicitly Measured Valence and Risk Attitudes Towards Plastic Packaging, Plastic Waste, and Microplastic in a German Sample

This psychology study measured both explicit and implicit attitudes toward plastic packaging and microplastics in German consumers, finding that people simultaneously appreciate the convenience of plastic while expressing concern about pollution. The gap between attitudes and behavior helps explain why plastic consumption continues despite public concern about microplastics.

2021 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Public knowledge of microplastics for pro-environmental behavior

Researchers analyzed public knowledge of microplastics and its relationship to pro-environmental behavior, finding that because microplastics are invisible to the naked eye, public perception depends entirely on external information sources rather than direct experience, with implications for environmental communication strategies.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Public perceptions of electromagnetic fields and environmental health risks

Researchers surveyed public perceptions of electromagnetic fields and environmental health risks in Ireland using behavioral science methods. While not focused on microplastics, the study provides insights into how the public evaluates environmental health risks, finding that substantial minorities hold concerns even where scientific evidence of harm is lacking.

2024 2 citations
Article Tier 2

The influence of media narratives on microplastics risk perception

Researchers examined how media narratives about microplastic pollution influence public risk perception. The study argues that accurate and balanced reporting is essential to prevent misinformation and ensure people clearly understand the risks associated with microplastics. The findings suggest that understanding public perceptions can help design better interventions to reduce plastic consumption and its associated health and environmental impacts.

2023 PeerJ 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Extending the theory of planned behaviour to investigate the issue of microplastics in the marine environment

Researchers extended the theory of planned behaviour to investigate public attitudes toward marine microplastic pollution, finding that environmental awareness and perceived behavioral control significantly predicted consumers' intentions to reduce microplastic-generating product use.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of a New Conceptual Model: Consumers’ Purchase Intention towards Eco-friendly Bags

This paper is not about microplastics; it proposes a consumer behavior model to understand factors influencing purchase intentions toward eco-friendly bags as a plastic reduction strategy.

2023 International Journal of Management Technology and Social Sciences 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Public perception of microplastics pollution in Switzerland: Psychological distance, concern, and willingness to engage in mitigation activities

Researchers surveyed over 900 people in Switzerland to understand how the public perceives microplastic pollution and their willingness to take action. The study found that people perceive microplastics as a relatively close threat on most psychological dimensions, and that concern about the issue, particularly concern for nature, is a stronger predictor of willingness to engage in mitigation activities than psychological distance alone.

2026
Article Tier 2

The impact of mortality salience and explicit self-esteem on plastic reduction intention: A moderated mediation model

Researchers tested whether mortality salience—reminding people of death—combined with self-esteem levels influenced attitudes toward plastic reduction for future generations. High mortality salience increased pro-environmental attitudes in people with high explicit self-esteem but had the opposite effect in those with low self-esteem, suggesting terror management dynamics shape plastic reduction intentions.

2025 PLoS ONE
Systematic Review Tier 1

Drivers of green purchasing behaviour: a systematic review and a research agenda

This systematic review of 41 studies found that environmental concern, health consciousness, social influence, and perceived value are the strongest drivers of green purchasing behavior. While not directly about microplastics, the findings are relevant to understanding what motivates consumers to choose plastic-free or reduced-plastic products.

2023 F1000Research 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Predictive Power of Goal-striving Reasons for Self-reported and Actual Plastic Consumption

This psychology study examined whether people's reasons for reducing plastic use can predict their actual plastic consumption behavior. Understanding the psychological drivers of plastic reduction could inform more effective public communication campaigns about microplastic pollution.

2021 Humanities and Social Sciences
Article Tier 2

Impact of Green Advertising and Packaging on Purchase Decisions via Green Perceived Value

This paper is not about microplastics; it studies how green advertising and eco-friendly packaging influence consumer purchasing decisions for bubble tea beverages in Indonesia, using marketing theory.

2024 Ilomata International Journal of Social Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of the Persuasion Effect of Micro-Shaping Advertisements based on the Theoretical Framework of Planned Behavior

This marketing research paper analyzes how 'micro-shaped' advertisements persuade consumers, using behavioral theory. The paper is not related to microplastics or environmental health.

2023 SHS Web of Conferences
Article Tier 2

Mi̇kroplasti̇klere Yöneli̇k Tüketi̇ci̇ Tepki̇leri̇: Bi̇r Uluslararasi Pazar Araştirmasi

Researchers investigated consumer attitudes toward products containing microplastics and their effects on social responsibility, purchase intention, and sustainable consumption intention among 93 participants in Austria using structural equation modeling. The findings link consumer awareness of microplastic content to measurable shifts in purchasing behavior and sustainability-oriented intentions.

2024 Uluslararası Anadolu Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi
Article Tier 2

Is the public really concerned about microplastics? The importance of measuring everyday relevance and behavioral intentions as well as stated concern

Researchers surveyed over 2,200 citizens in Germany and Italy to examine whether public concern about microplastics translates into everyday relevance and behavioral change. While stated concern was high in both countries, most people reported thinking or talking about microplastics only rarely, though they still expressed willingness to take action to reduce exposure. The study found that both stated concern and everyday relevance mediated the link between knowledge about microplastics and intentions to change behavior.

2026 Journal of Environmental Psychology
Article Tier 2

Do attitude towards behavior, subjective norms, and perceived control behavior matter on environmentally friendly plastic purchasing intention?

This study investigated whether attitude toward behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control predict consumer intention to purchase environmentally friendly plastic products, using questionnaire data collected via social media platforms. The findings provide empirical support for the Theory of Planned Behavior as a framework for understanding sustainable plastic purchasing decisions.

2024 International Journal of Management and Sustainability 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in personal care products: Exploring public intention of usage by extending the theory of planned behaviour

Researchers applied an extended theory of planned behavior to understand public attitudes toward using personal care products containing microplastic beads. The study found that environmental awareness, health concerns, and social norms significantly influenced consumers' intentions to reduce their use of products containing microplastics.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 48 citations
Article Tier 2

The impact of values and social norms on consumers’ intention to avoid cosmetics containing microplastics: The mediating role of risk perception and personal norm

This research examined how consumer risk perception of cosmetics containing microplastics, shaped by personal values and social norms, influences the intention to avoid such products. The model found that environmental concern and social norms were key drivers of avoidance behavior.

2025 UNICA IRIS Institutional Research Information System (University of Cagliari)
Article Tier 2

From Thinking Green to Riding Green: A Study on Influencing Factors in Electric Vehicle Adoption

This paper is not about microplastic pollution. It studies what influences consumers to adopt electric vehicles, using surveys and behavioral psychology models. The findings focus on how social pressure and environmental concern shape EV purchase intentions.

2023 Sustainability 21 citations
Article Tier 2

An empirical assessment of worry about microplastics among the Norwegian public

Researchers surveyed 699 Norwegian adults online about their familiarity with and worry about microplastics, along with risk perception components including controllability, threat level, and personal values. Women and older respondents reported higher worry, and those endorsing self-transcendence values showed greater concern, though these demographic and value associations became non-significant once risk perception variables were included in the regression model.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)