Sustainability attitudes and behavioral motivations of college students: Testing the extended parallel process model
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
ISSN: 1467-6370
Article publication date: 2 January 2018
Abstract
Purpose
A planet that can no longer sustain life is a frightening thought – and one that is often present in mass media messages. Therefore, this study aims to test the components of a classic fear appeal theory, the extended parallel process model (EPPM) and to determine how well its constructs predict sustainability behavioral intentions. This study also strove to uncover students’ motivations and attitudes that are not present in the EPPM.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey of 779 college students was conducted.
Findings
Results reveal that both threat and efficacy are significant predictors of behavioral intention, consistent with the EPPM. However, an analysis of open-ended comments reveals that subjective normative influence and incentives also play a key role in students performing future sustainable behaviors.
Practical implications
These findings provide a framework to educators and message designers of sustainability groups on college campuses highlighting the importance of including multiple constructs in their messages to students. Threatening messages will not be enough to increase behavioral intentions. Fear inducing messages must be combined with messages to increase self- and response efficacy. Education is also not the only piece of the puzzle. Students state difficulty in performing some sustainable behaviors as a key barrier, indicating a need to incorporate infrastructure changes at campuses to facilitate greater ease among students to act sustainably.
Originality value
This study tests the EPPM’s utility in helping to find the most effective ways to influence college students’ future behavioral intentions toward acting sustainably.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank their undergraduate research assistants (Olivia Edwards, Brandon Hoege, Angela Knauf, Ella Koch, Brianna Truitt and Olivia Spiegel). Financial support for this research was provided by Student Blugold Commitment Differential Tuition funds through the Faculty/Student Research Collaboration Grants program at UW-Eau Claire.
Citation
Perrault, E.K. and Clark, S.K. (2018), "Sustainability attitudes and behavioral motivations of college students: Testing the extended parallel process model", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 19 No. 1, pp. 32-47. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-09-2016-0175
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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