Littering has been identified as a major issue in India that has negative impacts on the environment as well as public health.
Focus of the article:
Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, this empirical study determines the influence of three major concepts namely attitude, subjective norms, and self-efficacy on the intention to adopt anti-littering behavior.
Research Hypotheses:
The hypotheses stipulate that attitude, subjective norms, and self-efficacy have a significant influence on the intention to perform anti-littering behavior.
Methods:
In total, 750 individuals were interviewed at 34 locations across the states of New Delhi and Punjab (India) in a field survey. The data have been analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis in AMOS 21.0 to classify the considerations of the antecedents of the intention according to their relative significance using the natural gaps in standardized regression weight values. Subsequently, path analysis has been used to test a series of hypotheses concerning the direct effects of attitude, subjective norms, and self-efficacy on the intention to adopt anti-littering behavior.
Results:
The findings of the study revealed that all three constructs; attitude, subjective norms, and self-efficacy have a significant influence on the intention to adopt anti-littering behavior. Subjective norms influence intention to the highest extent closely followed by attitude.
Recommendations for Research/Practice:
Social marketers are recommended to target subjective norms and attitude while designing social marketing interventions to promote anti-littering behavior.
Limitations:
One limitation of this study is the existing gap between self-reported behavioral intention and actual behavior.
AjzenI. (1985). From intentions to actions: A theory of planned behavior. In KuhlJ.BeckmanJ. (Eds.), Action-control: From cognition to behavior (pp. 11–39). Springer.
2.
AjzenI. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision, 50, 179–211.
3.
AjzenI. (2002). Perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, locus of control, and the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32(4), 665–683.
4.
ArmitageC. J.ConnerM. (1999). The theory of planned behaviour: Assessment of predictive validity and “perceived control.”British Journal of Social Psychology, 38, 35–54.
5.
ArmitageC. J.ConnerM. (2001). Efficacy of the theory of planned behaviour: A metaanalytic review. The British Journal of Social Psychology, 40, 471–499.
AxelrodL. J.LehmanD. R. (1993). Responding to environmental concerns: What factors guide individual action?Journal of Environmental Psychology, 13(2), 149–159.
8.
AzjenI. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision, 50, 179–211.
9.
BagozziR. P.BaumgartnerH. (1994). The evaluation of structural equation models and hypothesis testing. In BagozziR. (Ed.), Principles of marketing research (pp. 386–422). Blackwell.
10.
BagozziR. P.WarshawP. R. (1990). Trying to consume. Journal of Consumer Research, 17, 127–140.
11.
BagozziR. P.YiY. (1988). On the evaluation of structural equation models. Journal of Academy of Marketing Science, 16(1), 74–94.
12.
BanduraA. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. Freeman.
13.
BanduraA. (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 1–26.
14.
BeckW. R. (2007). Litter. A review of litter studies, attitude surveys and other litter related literature. Keep America Beautiful.
15.
BerkowitzL. (1972b). Social norms, feelings and other factors affecting helping and altruism. In BerkowitzL. (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 6, pp. 63–108). Academic Press.
16.
BirkettN.HotzS. (1994). A self-efficacy scale for heart-healthy eating. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 85, 201–204.
17.
BurchellK.RettieR.PatelK. (2013). Marketing social norms: Social marketing and the ‘social norm approach’. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 12(1), 1–9.
18.
ChenM.-F.TungP.-J. (2010). The moderating effect of perceived lack of facilities on consumers’ recycling intentions. Environment and Behaviour, 42, 824–844.
19.
CialdiniR. B. (2003). Crafting normative messages to protect the environment. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12, 105–109.
20.
CialdiniR. B.RenoR. R.KallgrenC. A. (1990). A focus theory of normative conduct: Recycling the concept of norms to reduce littering in public places. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58(6), 1015–1026.
21.
CoffeyD.GuptaA.HathiP.SpearsD.SrivastavN.VyasS. (2017). Understanding open defecation in rural India: Untouchability, pollution, and latrine pits. Economic & Political Weekly, 52(1), 59–66.
22.
EchegarayF.HanssteinF. (2017). Assessing the intention-behavior gap in electronic waste recycling: The case of Brazil. Journal of Cleaner Production, 142, 180–190.
23.
FinnieW. C. (1973). Field experiments in litter control. Environment and Behavior, 5, 123–144.
24.
FornellC.LarckerD. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–50.
25.
GellerE. S. (1980). Applications of behavioral analysis for litter control. In GlenwickD.JasonL. (Eds.), Behavioral community psychology: Progress and prospects (pp. 254–283). Praeger.
26.
GerbnerG.GrossL. (1976). Living with television: The violence profile. Journal of Communication, 26(2), 172–194.
27.
GollwitzerP. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54, 493–503.
28.
GrasmickH. G.BursikR. J.KinseyK. A. (1991). Shame and embarrassment as deterrents to noncompliance with the law: The case of an anti-littering campaign. Environment and Behaviour, 23, 233–251.
29.
HairJ. F.BlackW. C.BabinB. J.AndersonR. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Prentice Hall.
30.
HalderP.PietarinenJ.Havu-NuutinenS.PöllänenS.PelkonenP. (2016). The theory of planned behavior model and students’ intentions to use bioenergy: A cross-cultural perspective. Renewable Energy, 89, 627–635.
31.
HansmannR.ScholzR. W. (2003). A two-step informational strategy for reducing littering behavior in a cinema. Environment and Behavior, 35, 752–762.
32.
HansmannR.SteimerN. (2015). Linking an integrative behavior model to elements of environmental campaigns: An analysis of face-to-face communication and posters against littering. Sustainability, 7, 6937–6956.
33.
HuebnerR.LipseyM. W. (1981). The relationship of three measures of locus of control to environmental activism. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 2, 45–58.
34.
KahnemanD.TverskyA. (1982). The simulation heuristic. In KahnemanD.SlovicP.TverskyA. (Eds.), Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases (pp. 201–208). Cambridge university Press.
35.
KaiserF. G.ScheuthleH. (2003). Two challenges to a moral extension of the theory of planned behavior: Moral norms and just world beliefs in conservationism. Personality & Individual Differences, 35, 1033–1048.
36.
KarimG.RusliI.BiakD.IdrisA. (2013). An application of the theory of planned behaviour to study the influencing factors of participation in source separation of food waste. Waste Management, 33, 1276–1281.
37.
Keep America Beautiful. (2009). Littering behaviour in America. Action Research.
38.
KraussR. M.FreedmanJ. L.WhitcupM. (1978). Field and laboratory studies of littering. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 14, 109–122.
39.
LehmanP. K.GellerE. S. (2004). Behavior analysis and environmental protection: Accomplishments and potential for more. Behavior and Social Issues, 13, 13–32.
40.
LindenbergS.StegL. (2007). Normative, gain and hedonic goal frames guiding environmental behavior. Journal of Social Issues, 63(1), 117–137.
41.
LindenbergS.StegL. (2013). Goal-framing theory and norm-guided environmental behavior. In van TrijpH. (Ed.), Encouraging sustainable behavior (pp. 37–54). Psychology Press.
42.
LuszczynskaA.SchwarzerR. (2005). The role of self-efficacy in health self-regulation. In GreveW.RothermundK.WenturaD. (Eds.), The adaptive self: Personal continuity and intentional self-development (pp. 137–152). Hogrefe & Huber Publishers.
43.
LyndhurstB. (2013). Rapid evidence review of littering behaviour and anti-litter policies. Brook Lyndhurst.
44.
MakiA.BurnsR. J.HaL.RothmanA. J. (2016). Paying people to protect the environment: A meta-analysis of financial incentive interventions to promote proenvironmental behaviors. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 47, 242–255.
45.
MansteadA. S.van EekelenS. A. (1998). Distinguishing between perceived behavioral control and self-efficacy in the domain of academic intentions and behaviors. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 28, 1375–1392.
46.
McCaulK. D.O’NeillH. K.GlasgowR. E. (1988). Predicting the performance of dental hygiene behaviors: An examination of the Fishbein and Ajzen model and self-efficacy expectations. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 18, 114–128.
47.
McKirnanD. J. (1980). The identification of deviance: A conceptualization and initial test of a model of social norms. European Journal of Social Psychology, 10(1), 75–93.
48.
NunnallyJ. (1978). Psychometric theory (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
49.
OjedokunA. (2011). Attitude towards littering as a mediator of the relationship between personality attributes and responsible environmental behaviour. Waste Management, 31(12), 2601–2611.
50.
OjedokunA. (2013). The role of socio-demographical and psychological factors in taking littering prevention actions. International Journal of Advances in Psychology, 2(4), 197–206.
51.
OjedokunA. (2015). The Littering Attitude Scale (LAS): Development and structural validation using data from an indigenous (Nigerian) sample. Management of Environmental Quality an International Journal, 26(4).
52.
OjedokunA.AdekunleA. (2013). The role of socio-demographical and psychological factors in taking littering prevention actions. International Journal of Advances in Psychology, 2(4).
53.
OjedokunA.BalogunS. (2011). Psycho-sociocultural analysis of attitude towards littering in a Nigerian Urban City. Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management, 4, 68–80.
54.
OngI. B.SovacoolB. K. (2012). A comparative study of littering and waste in Singapore and Japan. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 61, 35–42.
55.
PakpourA.ZeidiI.EmamjomehM.AsefzadehS.PearsonH. (2014). Household waste behaviours among a community sample in Iran: An application of the theory of planned behaviour. Waste Management, 34, 980–986.
56.
ReichJ.RobertsonJ. (1979). Reactance and norm appeal in anti-littering messages. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 9(1), 91–101.
57.
ReiterS. M.SamuelW. (1980). Littering as a function of prior litter and the presence or absence of prohibitive signs. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 10, 45–55.
58.
RenoR.CialdiniR.KallgrenC. (1993). The transsituational influence of social norms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64, 104–112.
59.
RobertsM. L.WortzelL. H. (1979). New life-style determinants of women’s food shopping behavior. Journal of Marketing, 43(3), 28–39.
60.
SchmuckP.VlekC. (2003). Psychologists can do much to support sustainable development. European Psychology, 8(2), 66–76.
61.
SchnelleJ. F.McneesP.ThomasM. M.BeagleG. P. (1980). Prompting behavior change in the community use of mass media techniques. Environment and Behavior, 12(2), 157–166.
62.
SchultzP. W.BatorR. J.LargeL. B.BruniC. M.TabanicoJ. J. (2011). Littering in context: Personal and environmental predictors of littering behavior. Environment and Behavior, 45(1), 35–59.
63.
SparksP.GuthrieC. A.ShepherdR. (1997). The dimensional structure of the perceived behavioral control construct. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 27, 418–438.
64.
StegL.VlekC. (2007). Human behavior and environmental sustainability: Problems, driving forces and research topics. Journal of Social Issues, 63(1), 1–19.
65.
StokolsD.AltmanI. (1987). Handbook of environmental psychology. Wiley.
66.
TakahashiB. (2009). Social marketing for the environment: An assessment of theory and practice. Applied Environmental Education and Communication, 8, 135–145.
67.
TalookiK.JamaludinM.AzizA. (2018). Behavioural control with anti-littering behavioural intention at Iran forest park. International Journal of Advanced Studies in Social Science and Innovation, 2(1), 168–178.
68.
TarkiainenA.SundqvistS. (2005). Subjective norms, attitudes and intentions of Finnish consumers in buying organic food. British Food Journal, 107(11), 808–822.
69.
TerryD. (1993). Self-efficacy expectancies and the theory of reasoned action. In TerryD. J.GalloisC.McCamishM. (Eds.), International series in experimental social psychology (Vol. 28). The theory of reasoned action: Its application to AIDS-preventive behaviour (pp. 35–151). Pergamon Press.
70.
TerryD.O’LearyJ. (1995). The theory of planned behaviour: The effects of perceived behavioral control and self-efficacy. British Journal of Social Psychology, 34, 199–220.
71.
TihS.ZainolZ. (2012). Minimizing waste and encouraging green practices. Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia, 46, 157–164.
72.
TriandisH. C. (1977). Interpersonal Behavior. Brooks/Cole Publishing.
73.
Waghorn-LeesC.MichaelF.KyleD.LynnD. (2013). Litter reduction from a behavioural science perspective. Hollin Consulting.
74.
WankelL. M.MummeryW. K. (1993). Using national survey data incorporating the theory of planned behavior: Implications for social marketing strategies in physical activity. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 5, 158–177.
75.
WerleC. (2011). The determinants of Preventive Health Behavior: Literature Review and Research Perspectives. HAL.
76.
WhiteK. M.TerryD. J.HoggM. A. (1994). Safer sex behavior: The role of attitudes, norms, and control factors. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 24, 2164–2192.
77.
WiidegrenÖ. (1998). The new environmental paradigm and personal norms. Environment and Behavior, 30, 75–100.
78.
ZhangD.HuangG.YinX.GongQ. (2015). Residents’ waste separation behaviors at the source: Using SEM with the theory of planned behavior in Guangzhou, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12, 9475–9491.
79.
ZurbrueggC. (2003). Solid waste management in developing countries: A sourcebook for policymakers and practitioners. EAWAG.
