Self-construal and recycling : the mediating role of subjective and moral norm

• Main Author: Tan, Hannah Hui Ann
• Other Authors: Kenichi Ito
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2020
• Subjects: Social sciences::Psychology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/138130
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The earth is degenerating rapidly and it is evident that there is an increase in emphasis on endeavours that prevent further harm of nature or the repair of damaged environment. More studies have undertaken efforts to investigate the motivating factors and underlying processes in pro-environmental behaviours (PEBs). This study seeks to investigate the relationship between self-construal and recycling attitudes and behaviour. In this study, interdependent self-construal is deconstructed into people-interdependent self-construal and nature-interdependent self-construal. This study further investigates the mediating role of subjective and moral norms on the relationship between the two types of self-construal and recycling attitudes and behaviour. Participants were asked to complete a priming task to prime them with either people-interdependent self-construal or nature-interdepedendent self-construal. They then completed a questionnaire through an online survey. The results showed that the manipulation of interdependent self-construal was not successful. This study found that nature-interdependent self-construal, subjective norm and moral norm are significant predictors of positive recycling attitudes and behaviours. Additionally, moral norm mediates the relationship between nature-interdependent self-construal and recycling attitudes and behaviours. The findings of this study provide deeper insight into the motivating factors of recycling in Singaporeans. With greater understanding of these processes, more effective intervention can be developed so as to increase the rate of recycling in Singapore.