Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

The value of multi-proxy experiments to study pro-environmental behavior

This methodological study argues that pro-environmental behavior research should use multiple proxy measures rather than relying on a single behavioral indicator, since different measures capture different dimensions of environmental action. The recommendation is relevant to studies assessing consumer responses to plastic pollution and waste reduction initiatives.

2023 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Consistent or inconsistent? The effects of inducing cognitive dissonance vs. cognitive consonance on the intention to engage in pro-environmental behaviors

Researchers investigated how cognitive dissonance between environmental awareness and pro-environmental behavior influences individuals' rationalization strategies, finding that attempts to induce cognitive consonance could shift behavioral intentions, with implications for designing more effective pro-environmental communications.

2022 Frontiers in Psychology 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Mediating and Moderating Factors Affecting Pro-environmental Decision-Making: A Spanish Study

Researchers investigated the mediating role of perceived responsibility and the moderating role of political ideology on pro-environmental decision-making in a Spanish population. The study found that perceived responsibility partially mediated the relationship between environmental concern and pro-environmental behavior, with political orientation moderating the strength of these effects.

2024 Australian Journal of Environmental Education
Article Tier 2

Predicting green product consumption using theory of planned behavior and reasoned action

Researchers applied the theory of planned behavior to investigate how environmental awareness and social influence predict consumer intentions to use reusable bags, finding that these factors significantly shape green purchasing behavior in a plastic waste reduction context.

2020 Management Science Letters 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Social Class and Private-Sphere Green Behavior in China: The Mediating Effects of Perceived Status and Environmental Concern

Researchers examined how social class influences private green behavior in China, finding that perceived social status and environmental concern partially mediate the relationship between objective class position and environmentally friendly actions at home. The study suggests status signaling plays a meaningful role in motivating sustainable consumption.

2023 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 11 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

Exploring the Differences and InfluencingFactors of Public Participation in EnvironmentalProtection Behavior in the Private and PublicSpheres in China

Not relevant to microplastics — this sociological study analyzes factors influencing Chinese citizens' environmental protection behaviors in public and private spheres, using 2013 national survey data.

2023 Polish Journal of Environmental Studies 6 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

Youth and the Environment: Assessing Awareness, Attitudes, and Action

This study assessed environmental awareness, attitudes, and pro-environmental action among university students, investigating the gap between knowing about environmental issues and actually taking action. The research found that while students generally showed awareness of environmental problems including pollution, a significant disconnect persists between awareness and consistent environmentally responsible behavior.

2025 Journal of Digital Sociohumanities 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A Retrospective Approach to Pro-Environmental Behavior from Environmental Education: An Alternative from Sustainable Development

This 20-year bibliometric retrospective on environmental education and pro-environmental behaviour research found a persistent gap between acquiring environmental knowledge and changing behaviour, concluding that participatory pedagogical approaches and greater integration of sustainable development into higher education are needed to bridge this divide.

2023 Sustainability 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Pro-environmental behaviors, uncertainty, and social welfare

This French economics thesis investigates the factors that influence pro-environmental behaviors and how uncertainty affects them, using behavioral microeconomic models and lab experiments. Findings suggest pessimism and ambiguity reduce environmentally friendly choices such as purchasing green goods and making charitable donations.

2023 theses.fr (ABES)
Article Tier 2

Assessment on the Environmental Concern Level and Driving Mechanism of Beach Recreationists Based on the New Ecological Paradigm Scale

Researchers used the new ecological paradigm (NEP) scale to measure environmental concern levels among beach recreationists in China, finding 66.2% concern levels slightly above average urban resident levels with significant correlations to age, occupation, education, and income. The study constructed a behavioral group portrait model and analyzed driving mechanisms for pro-environmental behavior among beach visitors.

2024 Sustainability 1 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

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

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
Article Tier 2

Exploring Community Resilience: The Joint Roles of Environmental Knowledge and Risk Perception in Pro-Environmental Behavior

A study examining pro-environmental behavior in community settings found that environmental knowledge and risk perception jointly moderated the gap between environmental intentions and actions, with their combined effect stronger than either variable alone in promoting both private and public pro-environmental behaviors.

2025 Buildings 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Decoding derogation: The impact of environmental values and political ideology on the effect of persuasive message about recycle and reuse behaviors

Researchers examined how environmental values and political ideology influence reactions to persuasive messages about plastic pollution, finding that these personal belief systems shape message derogation in distinct ways that subsequently affect risk perception, self-efficacy, and individuals' intentions to recycle and reuse plastics.

2024 Risk Analysis 1 citations
Article Tier 2

How Do Environmental Concerns and Governance Performance Affect Public Environmental Participation: A Case Study of Waste Sorting in Urban China

A survey of Chinese urban residents found that higher confidence in government environmental management was paradoxically associated with lower personal participation in waste sorting programs, suggesting that trust in official institutions can reduce citizens' sense of individual responsibility for environmental action.

2021 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficacy Simulations: A pattern of inadequate environmental action

This paper examines 'efficacy simulations' — behaviors and communication strategies that create a false sense of impact without addressing the scale of socio-ecological problems — and argues they contribute to a behavior-impact gap alongside greenwashing. Researchers recommend communication strategies that prioritize reliable information on genuinely high-impact individual and collective actions to foster meaningful behavior change.

2024
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

Promoting Conservation Intentions Through Humanized Messaging in Green Advertisements: The Mediation Roles of Empathy and Responsibility

Researchers conducted an experiment with 505 participants to test whether humanized messaging in green advertisements increases conservation intentions regarding plastic waste. They found that ads depicting marine animals in human-like terms significantly boosted empathy, perceived responsibility, and willingness to take conservation action. The study suggests that connecting people emotionally with the impacts of plastic pollution through humanized narratives can be an effective strategy for promoting environmental behavior change.

2025 Sustainability 1 citations
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
Article Tier 2

Factors Affecting the Intention to Implement Pro-environmental Behaviors: A Case of Riverside Communities in Cotabato City Rivers, Mindanao Island, Philippines

Researchers applied the Theory of Planned Behavior to survey 387 riverside community residents in Cotabato City, Philippines, finding that attitude and subjective norms significantly predicted pro-environmental behavior intentions for river conservation, while gender moderated the relationship between perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention.

2024 Journal of Marine and Island Cultures
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