Modelling Farmers’ Watershed Ecological Protection Behaviour with the Value-Belief-Norm Theory: A Case Study of the Wei River Basin

Abstract

Encouraging farmers to protect their environment is of great significance in improving watershed ecological environments and promoting the sustainable development of the watershed economy. To explore the factors influencing farmers’ ecological protection behaviours in the river basin, we constructed a structural equation model to analyse the survey questionnaire responses of 719 farmers in the Wei River Basin, Shaanxi Province, China. The theoretical framework incorporated farmers’ watershed belonging and social capital into an extended value-belief-norm model. Robustness tests revealed that incorporating these variables was valid. Personality norms, watershed belonging, and social capital all had direct positive effects on farmers’ watershed ecological protection behaviour. Value orientation, environmental concern, consequences awareness, and responsibility attribution influenced the next variable in a causal chain and finally acted on watershed ecological protection behaviour indirectly through personality norms. Farmers’ watershed belonging and social capital positively impacted individual norm; through this, there was an indirect positive impact on their watershed ecological protection behaviour. Moreover, watershed belonging and social capital reinforced each other.

Effects of education for sustainable development on personal norms regarding the scarcity of drinking water

“…It is worth noting that the sub-hypothesis H3a was confirmed (p-value < 0.001). Based on the findings by Yildirim and Semiz (2019) and of Zhang et al (2021), who propose that the personal norm is the most direct and proximal variable to environmental behavior in VBN theory, this finding is in line with the assumptions of VBN theory. It is also consistent with findings by Corral-Verdugo, Bechtel and Fraijo-Sing (2003), Kang et al (2017), Raeisi, Bijani, and Chizari (2018), Yildirim and Semiz (2019), Moghadam et al (2020), and Wu and Zhu (2021) who suggest the beliefs dimension as a significant predictor of personal norms.…”

“…Building on this assumption, Schwartz (1977) points out that violation of personal norms may produce feelings of guilt, self-denial, or loss of self-esteem whereas obedience would generate feelings of pride and increased self-esteem. Therefore, for Zhang, Zhao, Ni & Cai (2021) individual norm is the variable closest to environmental behavior in VBN theory. Therefore, according to this theory, sustainable development behaviors are influenced by individuals' psychological state with regard to their sense of responsibility.…”

Religiosity, Spirituality or Environmental Consciousness? Analysing Determinants of Pro-environmental Religious Practices

“…In contrast, values are broad yet persistent ideas about what is good or bad, right or wrong, desirable or undesirable (Rokeach, 1968(Rokeach, , 1973; values are defined as core conceptions of the desire within every individual or society. For example, some individuals may hold sacred beliefs about rivers, considering them essential and sacred natural resources (Zhang et al, 2021). However, their values may prioritize environmental protection over maintaining traditions (Sharma & Gupta, 2020).…”

The influence of environmental factors on ecological beliefs and ecological behaviour of energy-efficient appliance purchase

“…Belief is considered as one of the important factors for understanding human behaviour (Zhang et al, 2021). Previous ecological behaviour studies are focused on the belief components, understanding these as the result of a rational costs-benefits analysis derived from environmental behaviour (Chan et al, 2018;Venugopal & Shukla, 2019).…”