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The Moderating Effects of Students’ Personality Traits on Pro-Environmental Behavioral Intentions in Response to Climate Change

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  • Tai-Yi Yu

    (Department of Risk Management and Insurance, Ming Chuan University, 250 Zhong Shan N. Rd., Sec. 5, Taipei 111, Taiwan)

  • Tai-Kuei Yu

    (Department of Business Administration, National Quemoy University, One University Road, Jinning Township, Kinmen Hsien 892, Taiwan)

Abstract

This study developed a model that examined the relationship between undergraduate students’ beliefs, norms and pro-environment behavioral intentions in the context of global climate change (GCC). The model was further evaluated to determine whether latent variables, such as sustainability value, environmental concern, social norms, perceived risk, pro-environmental attitude, as defined by the theory of planned behavior and value-belief-norm theory, significantly influenced students’ intentions towards pro-environmental behavior. The research model was empirically tested using data collected form 275 undergraduate students. Empirical results found support for four interaction effects of personality traits and the related latent variables of environmental attitude, including sustainability value, social norms, environmental concern and perceived risk. The impact of undergraduate students’ environmental attitudes was moderated by personality traits. The findings of this research offer policy makers and enterprises better understandings of undergraduate students’ attitudes and behavioral intentions towards GCC and promote the visibility of this issue.

Suggested Citation

  • Tai-Yi Yu & Tai-Kuei Yu, 2017. "The Moderating Effects of Students’ Personality Traits on Pro-Environmental Behavioral Intentions in Response to Climate Change," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-20, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:12:p:1472-:d:120769
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    Cited by:

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    5. Lian Zeng & Marguerite Moore & Lori Rothenberg, 2024. "Promoting Sustainable Consumption: The Roles of Consumers’ Domain-Specific Environmental Knowledge and Personality Traits," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-17, January.
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    7. Ștefan Boncu & Oara Prundeanu & Andrei Corneliu Holman & Simona Andreea Popușoi, 2022. "Believing in or Denying Climate Change for Questionable Reasons: Generic Conspiracist Beliefs, Personality, and Climate Change Perceptions of Romanian University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-13, December.

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