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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Weisha Wang
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).
© 2021. Plastic pollution is one of the most urgent worldwide environmental issues that humans need to address. Despite the awareness of the harm that plastic pollution brings to our planet, environmental impact is the least important consideration for consumers when making their daily choices regarding plastic packaging. It is less known how to motivate consumers, especially those of generation Z, who are considered to be more concerned with the environment than previous generations, to engage in plastic pollution reduction and increase their intention to recycle in China. Drawing upon Protection Motivation Theory, we investigate the impacts of individual motivators (self-esteem, self-actualization, and self-expression) and collective motivators (social optimism, social pessimism, and Confucianism) on consumers’ environmental concern (threat appraisal) and how these drivers eventually influence consumers’ engagement and recycling intention (coping appraisal). Our findings reveal that engagement and recycling intentions are driven primarily by self-expression and social pessimism, respectively. Environmental concerns play a significant role in mediating these relationships. We offer important theoretical and practical implications for policymakers.
Author(s): Wang W, Mo T, Wang Y
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Resources, Conservation and Recycling
Year: 2022
Volume: 179
Print publication date: 01/04/2022
Online publication date: 18/12/2021
Acceptance date: 11/12/2021
Date deposited: 03/02/2022
ISSN (print): 0921-3449
ISSN (electronic): 1879-0658
Publisher: Elsevier B.V.
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.106111
DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.106111
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