Mechanisms Influencing Pro-Environmental Behavior Among Outdoor Hikers: An Integrated TPB–PMT Framework

The rapid expansion of outdoor hiking activities has increased pressure on natural ecosystems, and environmentally irresponsible behaviors by hikers have become an important source of environmental degradation. However, limited attention has been paid to the mechanisms driving pro-environmental behavior among outdoor hiking participants. To overcome this limitation, an integrated framework combining TPB and PMT was established to investigate both pro-environmental intentions and subsequent environmental behaviors among outdoor hiking participants. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 1092 outdoor hiking participants in Hubei Province, China, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Empirical findings revealed that constructs from both TPB and PMT significantly influence pro-environmental intentions, with positive effects from most variables and a negative effect from response cost. Behavioral intention and self-efficacy significantly promote actual pro-environmental behavior among outdoor hiking participants. Furthermore, the integrated TPB–PMT model demonstrated greater explanatory power than either theory applied independently. These findings suggest that pro-environmental behavior among outdoor hiking participants is jointly shaped by social-psychological and protection motivation factors. The integrated framework provides a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying environmental responsibility in outdoor recreation and offers practical implications for environmental management and sustainable outdoor hiking development.