Evaluating determinants of rural Villagers’ engagement in conservation and waste management behaviors based on integrated conceptual framework of Pro-environmental behavior

This study aims to evaluate determinants of villagers’ engagement in pro-environmental behavior (PEB), including ecological conservation behavior (ECB) and waste management behavior (WMB). An integrated exploratory model representing the proposed relationship between villagers’ engagement in ECB/WMB and their determinants was created based on the integration of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the Stern’s value belief norm (VBN) theory, environmental education and psychosocial characteristic perspectives. The potential predictors included a community norm, environmental knowledge, sense of obligation and self-efficacy, life satisfaction, place attachment, environmental worldview, perceived local environmental values, and psychosocial characteristics. Questionnaire surveys with villagers residing in the Nernkhor sub-district, Rayong province, Thailand, were conducted. The results of multiple regression analyses revealed that individuals’ engagement in ECB and WMB could be predicted by a different set of predictors. ECB was well predicted by self-efficacy, place identity, and perceived environmental values; whereas, WMB was well predicted by community norm, gender, age, knowledge related to action strategies, and self-efficacy. Therefore, different environmental strategies should be constructed to enhance the engagement of villagers in pro-environmental behaviors.