Effects of psychological determinants on pro-environmental behaviour: a study conducted with university students in Ethiopia

Abstract

The overall aim of the present research was to investigate the psychological and social factors underpinning pro-environmental behaviour assessed as reduction of electricity use and disposal of waste materials in the context of university students. In three cross-sectional studies, a total of 800 students, who were conveniently sampled from the University of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia (i.e., 200 undergraduate and 600 postgraduate), participated in the research. In these studies, we tested the interplay between self-transcendent and self-enhancing values, environmental beliefs, and personal norms in explaining pro-environmental behaviour as predicted by the value-belief-norm theory (Studies 1, 2, and 3) and its conditionality upon social class (Studies 2 and 3), cultural orientations (Study 2), and social norms (Study 3). All three studies provided evidence that the value-belief-norm theory is appropriate to explain a significant proportion of variance in pro-environmental behaviour. Moreover, the results of Study 2 and 3 revealed that the relationships between value orientations and pro-environmental behaviour through environmental beliefs and personal norms are indeed partially conditional upon social class (Study 2 and 3), cultural orientations (Study 2), and social norms (Study 3). The findings of the present research have theoretical, policy, and practical implications, which are relevant for environmental protection interventions in the context of higher education institutions in Ethiopia in general and the University of Addis Ababa, in particular.