Mediating role of specific environmental beliefs in the relationship between general beliefs and water consumption

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of general environmental beliefs (GEB) on water consumption behaviour (WCB) and the mediating role of specific environmental beliefs (SEB) in Kuala Lumpur. By administering 1584 surveys via a 5‐point Likert scale questionnaire, the study analyses the influence of utilitarian beliefs (UB) and ecological beliefs (EB) at both the Kuala Lumpur and district levels. The results demonstrate that EB significantly mediates the relationship between GEB and WCB, while UB also plays a significant mediating role. The study highlights practical measures for environmental preservation, such as prioritizing utilitarianism for environmentally beneficial choices, afforestation, waste reduction, reusability and recycling of production materials and ensuring ecological system compatibility for waste disposal.