Papers

61,005 results
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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

The Impact of Seeking and Processing Environmental Information Related to Microplastics on Pro-environmental Behavior Intentions : Focusing on the Risk Information Seeking and Processing Model (RISP)

Researchers applied the Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model to examine how seeking and processing microplastic-related environmental information influences pro-environmental behavior intentions, finding that subjective norms around information were more predictive than negative emotions or perceived information insufficiency.

2024 Korean Journal of Broadcasting and Telecommunication Studies 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of Factors of Single-Use Plastic Avoidance Behavior for Environmental Sustainability in China

A structural equation modeling study of 421 Chinese respondents found that attitude, perceived behavioral control, and policy intervention significantly influenced single-use plastic avoidance behavior, mediated by behavioral intentions and plastic-related environmental concerns.

2023 Processes 17 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Surveys of Knowledge and Awareness of Plastic Pollution and Risk Reduction Behavior in the General Population: A Systematic Review

This systematic review examines public surveys about plastic pollution awareness and whether that knowledge leads people to change their behavior. Understanding what people know and do about plastic pollution is important because individual actions, like reducing single-use plastic, can meaningfully lower microplastic exposure for both people and the environment.

2025 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of Factors Influencing Acceptability of Microplastic Regulation: Intrinsic Factors and Trust in Government

Researchers analyzed factors influencing public acceptability of microplastic regulations in South Korea using a national survey and hierarchical regression, finding that environmental risk perception, policy effectiveness beliefs, and knowledge positively predicted regulatory acceptance. Government trust was found to moderate the relationship between policy effectiveness perceptions and acceptability, especially when regulations carried financial costs.

2024 Korean Policy Studies Review
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

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

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

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

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

Assessment of Risk Perception on Microplastics Pollution in Drinking Water Sources

Researchers surveyed higher education students to assess their risk perception of microplastic pollution in drinking water sources and measured relationships between perception, concern, and behavioral intention to reduce plastic use. The study aimed to identify knowledge gaps and inform awareness campaigns targeting informed plastic reduction behavior among young adults.

2022 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the psychological antecedents of private and public sphere behaviours to reduce household plastic consumption

Researchers surveyed 648 people to understand what psychological factors drive different plastic-reduction behaviors — switching to plastic-free products, political activism, and supporting policy. Personal moral norms predicted all three types of action, while feeling personally capable was the strongest driver of purchase decisions, suggesting that reducing plastic use requires addressing both values and practical barriers.

2022 Environment Development and Sustainability 28 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

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

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

Students’ Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Plastics and Microplastics Pollution: Implications for Vietnam

This Vietnamese study applied the Theory of Planned Behavior to survey students' attitudes and intentions regarding plastic and microplastic pollution. Attitude was the strongest predictor of pro-environmental behavioral intention (β=0.411), suggesting that awareness and attitude change through education are more effective levers than appeals to subjective norms.

2025 VNU Journal of Science Legal Studies
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

On the way to reduce marine microplastics pollution. Research landscape of psychosocial drivers

A review of psychosocial drivers of marine plastic pollution found that factors including consumer convenience preferences, low perceived personal responsibility, and weak norm activation explain why behavioral change around plastic use is slow, and that interventions combining social norms messaging with structural changes show the most promise.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 18 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)
Article Tier 2

The degree of awareness of the risk of microplastic particles/people’s perception in taking preventive measures for this type of risk

This study surveyed public awareness of microplastic risks and perceptions around taking protective measures, finding that knowledge levels were variable and that most people had limited understanding of exposure routes and health implications. The authors call for targeted public communication campaigns to increase risk awareness.

2024 Journal of Engineering Sciences and Innovation
Article Tier 2

Environmental Value and Pro-environmental Behavior Among Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Risk Perception and Moral Anger

A survey of 558 young adults tested the relationship between environmental values and pro-environmental behavior, finding that risk perception and moral anger acted as mediating mechanisms through which values translated into action. The study provides insights for environmental communication strategies aimed at motivating plastic pollution reduction behaviors in younger populations.

2022 Frontiers in Psychology 43 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A systematic literature review of voluntary behaviour change approaches in single use plastic reduction

This systematic review examines efforts to voluntarily reduce single-use plastic consumption through behavior change rather than legislation. The research finds that while government bans on plastics are effective, voluntary approaches that respect individual choice can also make a difference. Understanding what motivates people to reduce plastic use is key to tackling the microplastic pollution problem at its source.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk Perception of Plastic Pollution: Importance of Stakeholder Involvement and Citizen Science

Researchers examine how people perceive the risk of plastic pollution and find that eight key factors — including visibility, familiarity, and severity — shape public and policy responses. Greater involvement of citizens and stakeholders in science could improve risk understanding and lead to more effective regulations.

2017 ˜The œhandbook of environmental chemistry 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk perception of differet environmental concerns

This study investigated how individuals perceive and prioritize different environmental risks including microplastics, air pollution, and climate change, using survey data to compare risk perception across demographic groups. The findings reveal that awareness of microplastic risks lags behind other environmental concerns.

2024 Open Science Framework