The prediction of self-reported recycling behaviors was examined using variations and expansions of Ajzen's theory of planned behavior. Three hundred and forty-eight residents from the Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties in Oregon completed a questionnaire that assessed attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intentions, self-reports of recycling behavior, moral obligation and past behavior. Recycling behaviors and intentions were grouped into three categories of difficulty by a factor analysis. Structural equation analysis did not support Ajzen's model. It was found that although attitudes was correlated with the antecedent variables, it did not directly influence intentions or behaviors. Perceived behavioral control had the largest direct influence on behavior. Subjective norms had the greatest direct influence on intentions. Past behavior, as measured, was not significantly related to any variable in the model. The inclusion of moral obligation added significantly to the ability to predict recycling behavior. Moral obligation directly influenced subjective norms, attitude, perceived behavioral control and behavior. The results suggest that programs that aim to increase recycling behaviors should focus on: the community good as the motivation for recycling, the impacts of the individual's recycling behavior on community resources, the "how to's" of recycling, and supplying services and information about those services.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:pdx.edu/oai:pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu:open_access_etds-5678 |
| Date | 07 May 1993 |
| Creators | Kiwala, Kathleen L |
| Publisher | PDXScholar |
| Source Sets | Portland State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Dissertations and Theses |
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