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Understanding the Effect of Information Sources on College Students’ Recycling/Reuse Behavior towards Clothing and Textile Products

Author

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  • Mijeong Noh

    (Department of Recreation, Sport Pedagogy, and Consumer Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA)

Abstract

This study investigated how college students’ exposure to recycling/reuse information through various sources, such as education, media, and interpersonal communication sources, affects their subjective norms, recycling/reuse attitude, intention and behavior. A self-administered online survey was conducted to ask questions about exposure frequency to recycling/reuse information sources, subjective norms, attitude, intention, and behavior based on the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). The final sample consisted of 725 participants from MTurk. Structural equation modeling was used to test six hypotheses. The results showed that obtaining recycling/reuse information through media sources led college students to have a positive attitude, positively affecting their recycling/reuse intention and behavior, whereas the information obtained from college education sources positively influenced their intention and behavior via inducing either positive subjective norms or positive subjective norms and subsequently attitude. Interpersonal communication sources were neither effective in developing positive subjective norms nor recycling/reuse attitude. Significant findings may provide important insights into how educators, environmental agencies, and brand managers can more effectively manage information sources to promote college students’ recycling and reuse attitude, intention, and behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Mijeong Noh, 2021. "Understanding the Effect of Information Sources on College Students’ Recycling/Reuse Behavior towards Clothing and Textile Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-14, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:6298-:d:567588
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hilary Nixon & Jean-Daniel Saphores, 2009. "Information and the decision to recycle: results from a survey of US households," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(2), pages 257-277.
    2. Feiyu Chen & Hong Chen & Jiahui Yang & Ruyin Long & Qianwen Li, 2018. "Impact of Information Intervention on the Recycling Behavior of Individuals with Different Value Orientations—An Experimental Study on Express Delivery Packaging Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-20, October.
    3. Arias, Eric, 2019. "How Does Media Influence Social Norms? Experimental Evidence on the Role of Common Knowledge," Political Science Research and Methods, Cambridge University Press, vol. 7(3), pages 561-578, July.
    4. Minton, Elizabeth A. & Spielmann, Nathalie & Kahle, Lynn R. & Kim, Chung-Hyun, 2018. "The subjective norms of sustainable consumption: A cross-cultural exploration," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 400-408.
    5. Reilly, Anne H. & Hynan, Katherine A., 2014. "Corporate communication, sustainability, and social media: It's not easy (really) being green," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 57(6), pages 747-758.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jing Ye & Caiyuan Kuang, 2026. "Determinants of Chinese individuals’ clothing-recycling intentions: a dual-logic analysis integrating TPB, NAM, and perceived convenience (PLS-SEM and NCA)," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 13(1), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Mijeong Noh, 2024. "Investigating the Relationship between Recycling/Reuse Knowledge and Recycling/Reuse Intention: The Moderating Role of Self-Efficacy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-12, July.
    3. Nguyen Thanh Phong & Le Thi Thanh Loan, 2024. "The Role of Information in Enhancing Waste Sorting Capability among Consumers in Lao Cai City, Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-15, July.
    4. Cristian D. Palma & Priscilla Cabello-Avilez, 2025. "Towards a Circular Fashion Future: A Textile Revalorization Model Combining Public and Expert Insights from Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-17, September.
    5. Md. Shamim Talukder & Mohammad Islam Biswas & Nasreen Azad, 2025. "The role of online information sources in enhancing circular consumption behaviour: Fostering sustainable consumption patterns in the digital age," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(1), pages 1419-1439, January.

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