TY - JOUR
T1 - Context matters
T2 - The role of perceived ease and feasibility vis-à-vis biospheric values in recycling behaviour
AU - Geiger, Josefine
AU - van der Werff, Ellen
AU - Ünal, Berfu
AU - Steg, Linda
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded by the Top Institute Food and Nutrition (TIFN), a public-private partnership on pre-competitive research in food and nutrition, and the Dutch Knowledge Institute for Sustainable Packaging (KIDV) under grant SD002 Sustainable Packages. The study design, data collection and analyses, as well as the manuscript writing were the sole responsibility of the authors. The content of the paper reflects only the views of the authors.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - In this paper, we studied to what extent individual factors and perceptions of the context are related to recycling. We reasoned and found that perceived ease of using a collection system is related to recycling, via perceived feasibility of recycling. Moreover, we hypothesised and found that the effect of biospheric values depends on the perceived feasibility of recycling. Interestingly, biospheric values were more strongly related to recycling when recycling was perceived as not very feasible. When recycling was perceived as very feasible, individuals recycled irrespective of their biospheric value strength. These results partially support the A-B-C-model but do not support the low-cost-hypothesis. We replicated our findings in two questionnaire studies in two regions in the Netherlands with different waste collection systems, and for recycling in general as well as for recycling of four different waste types. We could not replicate the results for actual waste behaviour. We discuss theoretical and practical implications.
AB - In this paper, we studied to what extent individual factors and perceptions of the context are related to recycling. We reasoned and found that perceived ease of using a collection system is related to recycling, via perceived feasibility of recycling. Moreover, we hypothesised and found that the effect of biospheric values depends on the perceived feasibility of recycling. Interestingly, biospheric values were more strongly related to recycling when recycling was perceived as not very feasible. When recycling was perceived as very feasible, individuals recycled irrespective of their biospheric value strength. These results partially support the A-B-C-model but do not support the low-cost-hypothesis. We replicated our findings in two questionnaire studies in two regions in the Netherlands with different waste collection systems, and for recycling in general as well as for recycling of four different waste types. We could not replicate the results for actual waste behaviour. We discuss theoretical and practical implications.
KW - A-B-C model
KW - Biospheric values
KW - Low-cost hypothesis
KW - Perceived ease
KW - Perceived feasibility
KW - Recycling behaviour
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85142717487&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.rcradv.2022.200122
DO - 10.1016/j.rcradv.2022.200122
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85142717487
SN - 2667-3789
VL - 16
JO - Resources, Conservation and Recycling Advances
JF - Resources, Conservation and Recycling Advances
M1 - 200122
ER -