Applying the SOR framework to mitigate single-use plastic tableware consumption and why does it work? Solving the...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Psychology
• Consumer Behavior
• Sustainability Science

Background:

• Plastic pollution, particularly single-use plastic tableware (SUPT), is a growing global environmental and health concern.
• Research on the specific drivers of household SUPT consumption remains limited despite its prevalence.
• Existing frameworks like Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) have not been applied to household SUPT consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the psychological determinants of household SUPT consumption.
• To apply and extend the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework to understand SUPT use.
• To identify key factors influencing consumers' decisions to use SUPT.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two online questionnaires administered in Israel (n=408) and the USA (n=295).
• Examined the mediating role of personal attitudes and the predictive role of perceived behavioral control (PBC) within the SOR framework.
• Investigated the relationship between awareness of plastic's health impacts, attitudes, PBC, and SUPT consumption.

Main Results:

• Personal attitudes towards the plastic problem mediate the relationship between awareness of plastic's health impacts and SUPT consumption.
• Perceived behavioral control (PBC) significantly predicts behavior, especially when actions conflict with self-interest, as in SUPT use.
• The study supports a double mediation model, extending the SOR framework to include attitude and PBC.

Conclusions:

• Personal attitudes and perceived behavioral control are crucial psychological mechanisms linking awareness to reduced SUPT consumption.
• Enhancing awareness of plastic's health impacts can positively influence attitudes and PBC, thereby decreasing SUPT use.
• The findings offer insights for interventions aimed at reducing plastic pollution through behavioral change strategies.