Hierarchical regression approach to quantify farm households' pro-environmental behavior

Area of Science:

• Environmental Psychology
• Behavioral Economics
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Household self-interest often conflicts with pro-environmental behavior, creating emotional barriers to ecological conservation.
• Understanding the psychological drivers behind these conflicting choices is crucial for effective environmental policy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the mediating role of self-control in the relationship between self-construal and the conflict between self-interest and pro-environmental behavior (CIPB).
• To examine household green pesticide adoption behavior in China as a case study for CIPB.

Main Methods:

• Hierarchical regression analysis was used to model the relationships between socioeconomic, demographic, psychological factors, self-construal, self-control, and CIPB.
• Participants were surveyed on their choices between environmental and cost-effective pesticides.

Main Results:

• Self-control partially mediates the relationship between self-construal and CIPB (coefficient, -0.0739; p < 0.05).
• Interdependent self-construal (coefficient, -0.09; p < 0.01) is more strongly associated with pro-environmental choices than independent self-construal (coefficient, -0.05; p < 0.05).
• Individuals with interdependent self-construal exhibit better self-control, leading to increased pro-environmental behavior.

Conclusions:

• Self-construal significantly influences pro-environmental choices, with self-control acting as a key mediator.
• The hierarchical regression approach is effective for analyzing rural household decision-making in pro-environmental contexts.
• Findings have policy implications for promoting environment-friendly pesticides and organic fertilizers.