Dynamic analysis of international green behavior from the perspective of the mapping knowledge domain

Green behavior is an important part of the study of green development. To promote green development, it is necessary to engage in further innovation on the basis of lessons from international advancements in green behavior. To clarify the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of international researchers in the study of green behavior, the research focus, and the research frontiers, a visual analysis was performed on 22,114 articles cited in the SSCI and SCI-EXPANDED databases from 2000 to 2017. This analysis was based on bibliometrics and mapping knowledge domain (MKD) analysis with CiteSpace 5.3.R4, a scientific and technological text-mining and visualization software. The results show that international green behavior research has the following main characteristics. First, a positive correlation was found between the number of papers and time. Second, research is highly valued by researchers in the natural sciences, such as ecology. The USA is involved in major research efforts and maintains a high level of cooperation with other countries and regions. International cooperation among institutions needs to be strengthened. The co-cited journals are primarily academic journals in the natural sciences. Third, research hotspots mainly focus on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), consumers, attitudes, performance, and environment, all of which evolve according to the phase path of "germination-growth." Fourth, the research frontier issues are largely related to management science and environmental science, and the research objects and methods will become increasingly complex and interdisciplinary over time.