An Applied Research About Norm Activation Theory In Environmental Behavior

Nowadays the ecological environment is deteriorating, so protectingenvironment is more and more important. Studies about environmental behavior canpromote human beings concerning nature and protecting the planet we live together. Ihope this paper can cause domestic scholars concern on environmental issues, and hopethis research can ultimately facilitate the effective implementation of people’senvironmental behavior.This paper is divided into three study. Study1: we randomly selected150undergraduate students from Sichuan Normal University as predictors of thequestionnaire for the revision and testing of AC (awareness of behavioral outcomes),AR (attributed responsibility), SN (social norms), PN (personal specification) Scale.Then we designed PPT about environmental behaviors and environmental promo flyers.Study2: we randomly selected4courses from Sichuan Normal University and4courses from Jingchu University of Technology. Four courses were randomly dividedinto experimental group A, experimental group B, experimental group C and the controlgroup D. Before interventions the experimental groups have a pretest for AC, AR, SN,PN scale; After the intervention, the experimental groups have a further testing for AC,AR, SN, PN Scale. Thus it can test whether interventions (ie Activity1, Activity2)have impact on their AC (awareness of behavioral outcomes), AR (attributedresponsibility) and get their currant situation of SN (social norms), PN (personal norms).Study3: again we randomly selected4courses from Sichuan Normal University and4courses from Jingchu University of Technology. Four courses were randomlydivided into experimental group A, experimental group B, experimental group C and thecontrol group D. Before interventions we recorded garbage left behind for twoconsecutive weeks. At the third week, we gave an intervention and then recordedgarbage left behind. After two weeks we recorded again. The purpose of this study is to verify whether interventions have improved environmental behavior of collegestudents.Through this study, we draw the following conclusions:(1) AC (awareness ofbehavioral outcomes) and AR (attributed responsibility) can be intervened and changedthrough the operability and some means.(2) SN (social norms) and PN (personalnorms) can not be intervened and changed through the operability and some means in ashort time.(3) There is some positive correlation between AR (attributedresponsibility), AC (awareness of behavioral outcomes) and environmental behavior.This study has some innovations. First of all, domestic research onenvironmental behavior is still in its infancy and lack of empirical research. Thisarticle will enrich research in the field. Secondly, the Norm Activation Theory has notbeen verified in the Chinese context. This study will make attempts in this regard. IHope this article can cause domestic scholars concern on environmental issues, andhope this research can ultimately facilitate the effective implementation of people’senvironmental behavior.