Understanding how social media shapes tourists’ pro-environmental behavior in forest destinations

Abstract

Introduction:

The growing influence of social media has transformed the ways tourists access information, form perceptions, and engage with environmental issues. However, limited attention has been paid to the psychological processes through which social media shapes pro-environmental behavior, particularly in forest tourism settings. This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of social media on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior through environmental knowledge, environmental attitude, environmental values, and subjective norms.

Methods:

Data were collected from 586 visitors across multiple forest destinations in Shandong Province, China, using a structured questionnaire. The survey instrument underwent expert review, pilot testing, and a translation–back translation procedure to ensure content validity and linguistic equivalence. The proposed model was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).

Results:

The results indicate that social media significantly influences environmental knowledge, environmental attitude, environmental values, subjective norms, and pro-environmental behavior. Environmental attitude emerged as the strongest predictor of pro-environmental behavior, while environmental values were most strongly affected by social media. Furthermore, all four mediating variables significantly transmitted the influence of social media on pro-environmental behavior, with the combined indirect effect exceeding the direct effect.

Discussion:

These findings suggest that social media functions not only as a source of environmental information but also as a mechanism that shapes tourists’ environmental values, attitudes, and social perceptions. The study contributes to sustainable tourism research by advancing understanding of the psychological pathways through which digital communication environments encourage environmentally responsible behavior.

1 Introduction

Environmental degradation has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges of the twenty-first century (Aladejare, 2022; Nguyen et al., 2023). Climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, ecosystem fragmentation, and the overexploitation of natural resources have raised global concerns regarding the sustainability of human activities and their impacts on the natural environment (Saba et al., 2025; Farrukh et al., 2026). Forests are among the most important natural resources; however, they have been subject to degradation due to various human factors, including tourism (Pongpattananurak, 2018; Naderi et al., 2026). Increasing visitation to forested destinations may generate substantial environmental pressures, such as littering, vegetation damage, wildlife disturbance, trail erosion, and resource depletion (Chen Y. et al., 2024). While management interventions can partially mitigate these impacts, long-term conservation outcomes largely depend on the environmental responsibility of visitors (Jiang et al., 2022; Wang et al., 2023). Consequently, encouraging tourists to adopt pro-environmental behavior in forested areas has become a critical concern for both tourism managers and environmental policymakers (Raza et al., 2024). In response to these challenges, governments, international organizations, and environmental scholars have increasingly emphasized the importance of promoting pro-environmental behavior among individuals (Dolnicar and Leisch, 2008). Pro-environmental behavior refers to actions that contribute to environmental protection and minimize negative impacts on ecosystems (Klein et al., 2022). As environmental problems are closely linked to human behavior, understanding the factors that encourage individuals to engage in environmentally responsible actions has become a major research priority.

Existing research has identified numerous determinants of pro-environmental behavior in tourism contexts. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of environmental knowledge, attitudes, and concern, personal values, place attachment, environmental identity, and social norms as significant predictors of environmentally responsible behavior (Badawi et al., 2024; Jaratmetakul and Pommi, 2026). These studies have shown that a wide range of affective, cognitive, and emotional factors play a significant role in shaping tourists' intentions and behaviors in forest environments. Nevertheless, these behavioral determinants might be further elucidated and influenced by underlying antecedent factors (Jiang et al., 2022). In recent years, social media has become one of the most influential communication channels shaping public perceptions, attitudes, values, and behaviors (Helferich et al., 2023; Parveen and Chaudhary, 2025). Unlike traditional media, social media platforms facilitate interactive communication, user-generated content, social learning, and rapid information dissemination (Liu J. et al., 2026; Spielvogel et al., 2026). Through platforms, individuals are continuously exposed to environmental information, sustainability campaigns, ecological narratives, and experiences shared by other users (Qayyoum and Hameed, 2023). Consequently, social media has evolved from a simple communication tool into a powerful mechanism for influencing environmental awareness and behavioral intentions. The existing literature suggests that media can shape pro-environmental behavior through both direct pathways and indirect pathways mediated by psychological, cognitive, and social factors (Awan et al., 2022; Parveen and Chaudhary, 2025). Environmental organizations, tourism authorities, and conservation agencies increasingly rely on social media to promote environmental responsibility and encourage sustainable practices among various stakeholder groups. The role of social media is particularly relevant in the tourism sector (Chen X. et al., 2024). While social media can promote pro-environmental behavior, it may also unintentionally contribute to environmental degradation by encouraging off-trail visits, overcrowding, and the spread of harmful behaviors, highlighting its dual role in shaping tourist impacts (Sigala, 2019).

Despite the growing body of research on social media in tourism, several important gaps remain. Existing studies have primarily focused on tourism marketing outcomes, such as destination image, travel intention (Tang et al., 2025; Wu et al., 2025), and purchase intention (Tavitiyaman et al., 2024), while comparatively limited attention has been given to understanding how social media promotes tourists' pro-environmental behavior in forest destinations. Moreover, previous research has largely examined the direct effects of social media (Lin et al., 2024) or investigated individual psychological factors, such as environmental knowledge, attitudes, values, or subjective norms, in isolation (Prima et al., 2014; Liu and Park, 2024; Salinero et al., 2025). Consequently, the underlying psychological mechanisms through which social media translates into pro-environmental behavior remain insufficiently understood. Addressing this gap, the present study proposes an integrated framework that simultaneously examines environmental knowledge, environmental attitudes, environmental values, and subjective norms as complementary pathways linking social media exposure to tourists' pro-environmental behavior. By investigating these mechanisms within the context of forest tourism, this study provides a more comprehensive explanation of how social media can foster environmentally responsible behavior in ecologically sensitive destinations and extends the current understanding beyond conventional tourism marketing outcomes.

Accordingly, the study pursues the following research objectives (1) to examine the direct effect of social media on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior, (2) to investigate the influence of social media on environmental knowledge, environmental attitudes, environmental values, and subjective norms, (3) to analyze the mediating roles of these psychological constructs in the relationship between social media and pro-environmental behavior, and (4) To provide a comprehensive understanding of the psychological pathways through which social media contributes to environmentally responsible behavior in forest tourism settings. This study contributes to literature in several important ways. First, rather than simply examining whether social media influences tourists' pro-environmental behavior, it explains how this influence is transmitted by uncovering the underlying psychological mechanisms. Second, the study develops an integrated framework that simultaneously evaluates four complementary pathways including environmental knowledge, environmental attitudes, environmental values, and subjective norms, thereby providing a more comprehensive understanding of the cognitive, affective, value-based, and normative processes linking social media exposure to pro-environmental behavior. Finally, by shifting the focus of social media research beyond conventional tourism marketing outcomes toward environmentally responsible behavior in forest tourism, this study extends existing knowledge on digital communication and contributes to a deeper understanding of sustainable tourist behavior in ecologically sensitive destinations.

2 Conceptual foundations and hypothesis development

Given this issue that single behavioral theory is not sufficient to explain the multifaceted influence of social media on pro-environmental behavior, therefore, this study integrates complementary theoretical perspectives. The conceptual framework of this study is grounded in an integrated behavioral perspective that combines insights from cultivation theory, Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), the Knowledge–Attitude–Practice (KAP) framework, and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Cultivation theory suggests that continuous exposure to media content gradually shapes individuals' perceptions, values, and social norms, making social media a powerful source of environmental learning (Romer et al., 2014). Consistent with SCT, individuals acquire knowledge and behavioral tendencies through observing information, interactions, and role models within digital environments (Jun et al., 2025). Furthermore, the KAP framework proposes that knowledge serves as a foundation for developing favorable attitudes, which subsequently translate into behavioral practices (Qayyoum and Hameed, 2023; Erhabor and Erhabor, 2025). This sequential relationship provides the theoretical basis for examining the effect of environmental knowledge on environmental attitudes. Finally, TPB complements this framework by explaining how attitudes and subjective norms influence behavioral intention (Ajzen, 1985). Rather than relying on a single theory, the present study integrates these complementary perspectives to capture the complex psychological processes through which social media shapes tourists' pro-environmental behavior. Accordingly, the proposed model simultaneously incorporates cognitive (environmental knowledge), affective (environmental attitudes), value-based (environmental values), and normative (subjective norms) mechanisms, providing a more comprehensive theoretical explanation than models based on a single behavioral theory.

As outlined above, the primary objective of this study is to investigate the direct and indirect effects of social media on tourists' pro-environmental behavior in forest environments. Accordingly, the construct of pro-environmental behavior is first defined and discussed in the context of the present research. Pro-environmental behavior in this research refers to a broad range of actions undertaken by individuals with the intention of minimizing negative impacts on the natural environment or contributing to its preservation (Kollmuss and Agyeman, 2002; Li et al., 2022). This construct encompasses both routine and context-specific behaviors, such as reducing waste, conserving natural resources, complying with environmental regulations, and actively supporting conservation initiatives. Within the forest tourism context, pro-environmental behavior becomes particularly critical, as tourists’ actions can directly influence the ecological integrity of destinations, especially in environmentally sensitive areas such as forest ecosystems (Xie and Wang, 2024). Existing literature suggests that such behavior is not solely driven by knowledge, but is shaped by a combination of cognitive, affective, and social factors (Sierra-Barón et al., 2023), including environmental attitudes, value orientations, and perceived social norms (Carducci et al., 2021). Accordingly, pro-environmental behavior is widely conceptualized as a key outcome variable in environmental psychology and tourism research, as it represents the observable manifestation of underlying psychological processes (Jiao and Wang, 2025). In the context of this study, pro-environmental behavior captures tourists’ environmentally responsible actions during their visits to forest destinations, providing a meaningful indicator for evaluating the effectiveness of social media in promoting sustainable tourism practices.

In this study, the term social media refers to widely used digital platforms that enable users to create, share, and interact with content related to travel and environmental issues. These platforms provide a combination of user-generated content, influencer-based communication, and algorithm-driven information exposure, making them particularly relevant for shaping environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions (Meng et al., 2023). Rather than examining each platform separately, this study conceptualizes social media as an integrated communication environment, capturing respondents’ overall exposure to and engagement with environmental content across these platforms.

2.1 Social media influence and environmental knowledge

Environmental knowledge is commonly conceptualized as an individual's understanding of environmental systems, environmental problems, and the behavioral actions necessary to protect natural resources (Somerwill and Wehn, 2022; Broccardo et al., 2024). Individuals with higher levels of environmental knowledge are generally better equipped to recognize the environmental implications of their behavior and make informed decisions in environmentally sensitive contexts (Kong and Jia, 2023; Erhabor and Erhabor, 2025). In forested tourism destinations, where ecosystem degradation can result from seemingly minor visitor actions, environmental knowledge may play a particularly important role in encouraging responsible behavior (Erhabor and Erhabor, 2025). Within tourism contexts, social media serves as a major source of destination-related information before and during travel experiences (Chen X. et al., 2024). Tourists are frequently exposed to content concerning environmental conservation, biodiversity protection, waste management practices, and responsible tourism behavior (Abate et al., 2026). Such exposure can enhance their understanding of environmental issues and increase their awareness of the ecological consequences of their actions. Given the informational and educational functions of social media, it is reasonable to explore the influence of greater exposure to environmental content on social media platforms contributes to the development of environmental knowledge among tourists visiting forested destinations.

In the other hand, within environmental psychology, knowledge is widely regarded as a prerequisite for developing favorable environmental attitudes (Salazar et al., 2022), because individuals who better understand environmental challenges are more likely to recognize the importance of environmental protection and develop positive evaluations toward environmentally responsible actions. The KAP framework which proposes a sequential process in which knowledge serves as the cognitive foundation that shapes attitudes, has been applied in environmental behavior and this chain of influences were confirmed (Wang and Zhang, 2021; Erhabor and Erhabor, 2025). Similarly, pervious research suggests that learning acquired through information exposure and observation contributes not only to increased knowledge but also to changes in individual attitudes (Liao et al., 2022). In the context of social media, continuous exposure to environmental information enables tourists to better understand the ecological importance of forest ecosystems, thereby fostering more positive attitudes toward environmental conservation (Qayyoum and Hameed, 2023). Previous studies have reported that greater environmental knowledge is associated with stronger pro-environmental attitudes across various environmental contexts (Salazar et al., 2022; Erhabor and Erhabor, 2025).

Accordingly, this study hypothesizes that social media influences environmental knowledge, which subsequently affects pro-environmental behavior directly. Furthermore, environmental knowledge is assumed to indirectly shape individuals’ behavior by influencing their environmental attitudes, thereby contributing to the formation and development of behavioral intentions. Based on the assumption, the following hypotheses were assumed:

H1a: Social media positively affect environmental knowledge.

H1b: Environmental knowledge positively affects tourists’ environmental attitude.

H1c: Environmental knowledge positively affects tourists’ pro-environmental behavior.

2.2 Social media influence and environmental attitude

Environmental attitude refers to an individual's overall evaluation of environmental protection and the extent to which environmental conservation is perceived as desirable and important (Kaiser et al., 1999; Erhabor and Erhabor, 2025). While knowledge provides a cognitive basis for understanding environmental issues, attitudes reflect individuals' evaluative orientations toward environmental protection (Tamar et al., 2020; AlHaddid et al., 2024). As an evaluative orientation, environmental attitude reflects how individuals feel about environmental issues and their willingness to support environmental protection efforts (Kaiser et al., 2007; Molnár et al., 2026). In tourism settings, positive environmental attitudes are particularly important because tourists frequently face behavioral choices that can either support or undermine environmental sustainability (Prima et al., 2014; Salinero et al., 2025). Attitudes are often shaped through communication processes that influence how environmental issues are framed and interpreted (Zhang and Cao, 2025). Social media platforms expose individuals to environmental narratives, visual representations of ecosystem degradation, sustainability campaigns, and stories highlighting the consequences of environmental neglect (Qayyoum and Hameed, 2023). Through repeated exposure to such content, individuals may become emotionally engaged with environmental concerns and develop stronger positive evaluations of environmental protection (Jabeen, 2024). Social media may contribute to the formation of favorable environmental attitudes by increasing environmental salience and encouraging positive perceptions of conservation-related actions. Consequently, tourists who are more strongly influenced by social media are likely to exhibit more positive environmental attitudes.

H2a: Social media positively affect environmental attitude.

H2b: Environmental attitude positively affects tourists’ pro-environmental behavior.

2.3 Social media influence and environmental values

Environmental values represent enduring beliefs regarding the importance of nature and the ethical responsibility of individuals to protect environmental resources (Lengieza and Aviste, 2025; Lou et al., 2025). Unlike attitudes, which are directed toward specific objects or issues, values constitute broader guiding principles that influence how individuals interpret environmental problems and evaluate behavioral alternatives (Reser and Bentrupperbäumer, 2005). These values provide a deeper motivational foundation for environmental action by shaping how individuals perceive their relationship with nature (Shi and Chen, 2024; Yang et al., 2024). Individuals who strongly value environmental preservation are more likely to internalize environmental responsibility and engage in behaviors that support ecosystem protection (Hermawan et al., 2026). Because values operate as enduring guiding principles, their influence extends across different situations and behavioral contexts. In forest tourism settings, ecological values may encourage tourists to prioritize environmental considerations when making decisions and interacting with natural environments (Cuadrado et al., 2022; Meng et al., 2023). Although values are generally regarded as relatively stable, social and communication environments can reinforce, activate, and strengthen value orientations. Social media platforms provide extensive exposure to environmental advocacy, conservation movements, ecological campaigns, and collective sustainability initiatives (Liu C. et al., 2026). These interactions can increase the salience of ecological concerns and reinforce value systems that emphasize environmental stewardship. Therefore, social media may contribute to the development and reinforcement of ecological values among tourists.

According to the Value–Attitude–Behavior (VAB) framework (Vaske and Donnelly, 1999), values can play role as an upstream psychological construct that shapes individuals' attitudes, which subsequently influence behavioral intentions and actual behavior (Baltacı et al., 2025). Individuals who strongly value environmental protection are therefore more likely to develop favorable attitudes toward environmentally responsible actions (Shi and Chen, 2024). Within the context of forest tourism, tourists with stronger environmental values tend to perceive environmentally responsible behavior not only as beneficial but also as personally meaningful and morally desirable (Tarrant and Cordell, 2002). Accordingly, environmental values are expected to serve as an important antecedent of environmental attitudes. Accordingly, this study posits that environmental values not only exert a direct influence on tourists’ behavior but also function as a mediating variable. Specifically, environmental values are assumed to be influenced by social media and, in turn, indirectly transmit its effects on behavior. Moreover, environmental values are expected to shape individuals’ environmental attitudes, thereby generating an additional indirect pathway through which behavior is influenced.

H3a: Social media positively affect environmental values.

H3b: Environmental values positively affect tourists’ pro-environmental attitude.

H3c: Environmental values positively affect tourists’ pro-environmental behavior.

2.4 Social media influence and subjective norms

Subjective norms refer to individuals' perceptions regarding whether important others approve or expect a particular behavior (Ajzen, 1991). These perceived social expectations influence behavior because individuals often seek social acceptance and conformity within their social networks. As a core component of the Theory of Planned Behavior, this construct has been shown to effectively predict protective behavioral intentions in ecotourism and forest management settings (Ng et al., 2024; Mohammadi et al., 2025). The emergence of social media has substantially expanded the social environments within which normative perceptions are formed (Zhang et al., 2024). Through likes, comments, shares, recommendations, and visible behavioral patterns, social media continuously communicates social signals regarding what constitutes desirable and acceptable behavior (Brock Baskin et al., 2023; Parveen and Chaudhary, 2025). As users observe environmentally responsible actions being endorsed and rewarded by online communities, they may develop stronger perceptions that environmental responsibility is socially expected. For tourists visiting forested destinations, subjective norms may be particularly important because many environmentally responsible actions occur in social contexts where the behavior of others serves as a reference point (Trelohan, 2022).

While the original TPB (Ajzen, 1991) conceptualizes subjective norms and attitudes as parallel predictors of intention, an increasing body of research suggests that, particularly in socially interactive contexts, normative influence may also contribute to the formation of attitudes (Smith and Louis, 2008; Bosnjak et al., 2020). Individuals often internalize the beliefs, expectations, and behaviors endorsed by their social environment, leading social norms to shape not only behavioral decisions but also personal evaluations of those behaviors (Passafaro et al., 2019; Ajzen and Schmidt, 2020). This process is particularly evident within social media environments, where users are continuously exposed to peer opinions, social endorsement, and collective environmental discourse. From the perspective of SCT, observational learning and social interaction enable individuals to develop favorable evaluations of behaviors that receive positive social recognition (Bandura, 2004). In the context of forest tourism, tourists who perceive that environmentally responsible behavior is expected, encouraged, and valued by important others are more likely to develop positive attitudes toward environmental protection. Therefore, subjective norms are expected to contribute not only to behavioral intention but also to the formation of favorable environmental attitudes. Accordingly, this study hypothesized that social media influences subjective norms, which in turn affect both attitudes and behavior.

H4a: Social media positively affect subjective norms.

H4b: Subjective norms positively affect tourists’ pro-environmental attitude.

H4c: Subjective norms positively affect tourists’ pro-environmental behavior.

2.5 Mediating roles of model’s constructs

Although social media may directly encourage environmentally responsible behavior, its influence is more likely to occur through underlying psychological mechanisms. Specifically, social media can provide environmental information, foster favorable environmental evaluations, reinforce ecological value orientations, and strengthen perceptions of social expectations regarding environmental responsibility. These cognitive, attitudinal, value-based, and normative processes subsequently influence behavioral outcomes. Therefore, the relationship between social media influence and tourists’ pro-environmental behavior is expected to be mediated by environmental knowledge, environmental attitude, ecological values, and subjective norms.

H5: Environmental knowledge mediates the relationship between social media influence and pro-environmental behavior.

H6: Environmental attitude mediates the relationship between social media influence and pro-environmental behavior.

H7: Ecological values mediate the relationship between social media influence and pro-environmental behavior.

H8: Subjective norms mediate the relationship between social media influence and pro-environmental behavior.

The theoretical framework of this research, based on above mentioned hypotheses, is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

3 Methods

3.1 Study area

The present study was conducted in forest parks and forest-based recreational destinations located in Shandong Province, China, situated in eastern China, Shandong Province is one of the country's most economically developed and densely populated regions with more than 100 million inhabitants (Pan et al., 2026), second rank of populated province of country, attracting substantial domestic tourism flows throughout the year (Dong et al., 2022). The study area encompasses several forest-based tourism destinations characterized by rich vegetation cover, diverse ecological resources, scenic mountain environments, and increasing recreational use. These destinations provide opportunities for hiking, sightseeing, nature appreciation, outdoor recreation, environmental education, and ecotourism activities. As a result, they attract a large number of visitors seeking nature-related experiences and temporary escape from urban environments. This province attracted 503 and 540 million tourists in 2018 and 2019, 503 and 540 million tourists, respectively (Wondirad et al., 2025). In this study forest tourism refers to tourism activities that take place in forested environments and involve recreational, experiential, and nature-based interactions with forest ecosystems. According to the UN Tourism Glossary of Tourism Terms, forest tourism can be considered a subcategory of nature-based tourism, often overlapping with ecotourism and, in some cases, adventure tourism, depending on the type of activities and level of environmental engagement (Kuenzi and McNeely, 2006). While nature-based tourism broadly includes all tourism activities in natural settings, forest tourism specifically emphasizes forest landscapes as the primary context of experience. The research sites represent a hybrid form of forest tourism that overlaps with nature-based and recreational tourism, reflecting the multifunctional role of forested landscapes in providing both ecological and leisure services. From an ecological perspective, forest ecosystems in the region perform critical environmental functions. They contribute to biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, soil protection, water regulation, climate moderation, and ecological stability (Zheng and Zheng, 2023). These ecosystems also provide important cultural and recreational services that support regional tourism development and human wellbeing. However, increasing tourist visitation has generated growing concerns regarding environmental pressures on these natural areas. Activities such as littering, vegetation trampling, off-trail movement, wildlife disturbance, noise pollution, and resource overconsumption have the potential to negatively affect ecosystem integrity, soil, and environmental quality. The study area offers a valuable empirical context because it combines ecological sensitivity with high levels of recreational use. The coexistence of environmental conservation needs and growing tourism demand creates a setting in which environmentally responsible behavior becomes particularly important. Therefore, investigating tourists’ behavioral responses in these forested destinations can generate insights that are relevant not only for sustainable tourism management in Shandong Province but also for forest-based tourism destinations facing similar environmental challenges in other regions (Figure 2).

Figure 2

3.2 Questionnaire development and data collection

FiData for this study were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to tourists visiting forested tourism destinations in Shandong Province, China. The measurement items were adapted from previously validated scales reported in the literature. To ensure the validity, clarity, and contextual appropriateness of the instrument, a multi-stage questionnaire development procedure was implemented prior to the main survey. Since the original measurement scales were developed in English, a translation and back-translation procedure was conducted to ensure linguistic and conceptual equivalence in the Chinese context. Initially, the questionnaire was translated from English into Chinese by a bilingual translator familiar with tourism and social science research. Subsequently, a second independent bilingual translator, who had no prior involvement in the study, translated the Chinese version back into English. The back-translated version was systematically compared with the original questionnaire to identify inconsistencies and potential deviations in meaning. Any discrepancies were carefully discussed and resolved to ensure that the Chinese version accurately reflected the conceptual content of the original scales while remaining culturally appropriate and easily understandable for Chinese respondents.

Following the translation process, the questionnaire was evaluated by an expert panel consisting of 5 specialists in tourism, environmental behavior, social media research, and quantitative methodology. The experts assessed the instrument with respect to content validity, item relevance, conceptual consistency, wording clarity, and contextual suitability. Based on their recommendations, several minor modifications were introduced to improve item wording, eliminate potential ambiguities, and enhance the overall comprehensibility of the questionnaire. The revised questionnaire was subsequently subjected to a pilot test involving 32 respondents with characteristics similar to those of the target population. The purpose of the pilot study was to evaluate the clarity of the measurement items, the logical flow of the questionnaire, and the overall feasibility of the survey administration process. Participants were also encouraged to provide feedback regarding any difficulties encountered while completing the questionnaire. The pilot test results indicated that the questionnaire was easy to understand and that respondents experienced no major difficulties in interpreting the items. Minor revisions were implemented to improve readability and ensure smooth administration of the final survey. The questionnaire consisted of two sections. The first section collected demographic and travel-related information, whereas the second section contained items measuring the study constructs. All measurement items were assessed using a five-point Likert (Joshi et al., 2015) scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).

3.3 Sampling procedure and respondents

The target population of this study consisted of tourists visiting forest-based tourism destinations in Shandong Province. Given the absence of a comprehensive sampling frame containing all visitors to the selected destinations, probability-based sampling was not feasible. Therefore, data were collected using an on-site intercept sampling approach, which has been widely employed in tourism and recreation research to investigate visitors’ perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors in natural settings. To improve the representativeness and diversity of the sample, data collection was conducted across multiple forest tourism destinations rather than a single site. The selected destinations differed in terms of visitor characteristics, recreational activities, and environmental attributes, allowing the study to capture a broader range of tourist experiences and behavioral perspectives. This multi-site sampling strategy reduced the potential influence of site-specific characteristics and enhanced the generalizability of the findings within the context of forest tourism destinations in the study region. During the data collection period, 5 trained survey administrators approached visitors at designated locations within the selected forest destinations, including entrance areas, recreational zones, visitor facilities, and major activity points. Potential respondents were first screened to ensure that they were tourists visiting the destination for recreational purposes and were at least 18 years of age. Individuals who agreed to participate were informed about the academic purpose of the study and assured that their responses would remain anonymous and confidential. A total of 586 valid questionnaires, representing a satisfactory effective response rate and providing an adequate sample size for structural equation modeling analysis. The final sample exceeded commonly recommended minimum sample size (Krejcie and Morgan, 1970) requirements for variance-based structural equation modeling and provided sufficient statistical power to assess the proposed relationships. Overall, 750 individuals were invited to participate in this study. Of these, 586 completed questionnaires were returned, yielding a response rate of approximately 78%.

3.4 Data analysis procedure

The proposed conceptual model was examined using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). This analytical approach was considered appropriate due to the model’s complexity, the inclusion of multiple mediating constructs, and the study’s objective of explaining and predicting tourists’ pro-environmental behavior in forest tourism settings (Sarstedt et al., 2021). The analysis was conducted through a sequential process involving data screening, measurement model assessment, and structural model evaluation. The first stage focused on data preparation and preliminary screening. Descriptive statistics were then generated to summarize respondents’ demographic characteristics and provide an overview of the sample profile. Following the preliminary assessment, the psychometric properties of the measurement model were evaluated. Indicator reliability was assessed through outer loadings, with emphasis placed on the strength of the relationship between each indicator and its corresponding latent construct. Internal consistency reliability was subsequently examined using Cronbach’s alpha (α) and composite reliability. These measures were used to evaluate the extent to which indicators associated with a construct consistently captured the same underlying concept. The convergent validity of the constructs was assessed using the average variance extracted. This procedure ensured that each latent variable explained a sufficient proportion of variance in its indicators. Since several constructs in the study represent conceptually related dimensions of environmental psychology, discriminant validity was also carefully examined. The Fornell–Larcker criterion, cross-loadings, and the heterotrait-monotrait ratio (HTMT) were employed to verify that the constructs were empirically distinct from one another.

Since all study variables were collected using a single self-reported questionnaire, the potential for common method bias (CMB) was assessed using Harman's single-factor test. An exploratory factor analysis including all measurement items was conducted without rotation, and the variance explained by the first unrotated factor was examined. The results indicated that the first factor accounted for 32.87% of the total variance, which is well below the commonly accepted threshold of 50%. Therefore, common method bias was not considered a significant concern in this study, suggesting that the observed relationships among the constructs were unlikely to be substantially influenced by measurement method effects. The common method bias was also evaluated using full collinearity variance inflation factors (VIFs). The obtained values were examined and confirmed that not a single latent factor accounted for a substantial proportion of the observed variance. After establishing the adequacy of the measurement model, the structural model was evaluated. The hypothesized relationships were then evaluated based on standardized path coefficients (β), along with their significance levels obtained through a bootstrapping procedure with 5,000 resamples. The t-values, p-values, were used to test the significancy of path coefficients. The explanatory power of the model was evaluated using the coefficient of determination (R²) for all endogenous constructs. Given the mediating structure proposed in the conceptual framework, indirect effects were also assessed using bootstrapping procedures. The significance of specific indirect effects was examined to determine whether environmental knowledge, environmental attitude, ecological values, and subjective norms transmitted the influence of social media on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior. The assessment of these mediation effects provided a deeper understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying environmentally responsible behavior in forest tourism contexts.

4 Result

4.1 The characteristics of participants

The socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents are presented in Table 1. A total of 589 individuals participated in the study, with a slightly higher proportion of females (53%) compared to males (47%). In terms of age distribution, the majority of respondents were between 30 and 40 years old (31%), followed by those over 30 years (27%) and those aged 40–50 (25%). Participants aged over 50 accounted for the smallest proportion (17%). The mean age of the sample was 38 years, indicating a relatively young to middle-aged population. Regarding educational attainment, nearly half of the respondents held a bachelor’s degree (49%), while 36% had school-level education and 15% possessed higher academic degrees. The employment status of respondents showed that the majority were employed (80%), with smaller proportions being unemployed (12%) or retired (8%). Finally, in terms of marital status, most participants were married (63%), whereas 37% were single.

4.2 Measurement model assessment

The results of reliability and convergent validity of the measurement model are reported in Table 2. All constructs demonstrated satisfactory levels of internal consistency. Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from 0.781 to 0.850, while composite reliability values varied between 0.857 and 0.909, exceeding the recommended thresholds (Cronbach, 1951). These results indicate that the measurement items consistently reflected their respective latent constructs. The assessment of convergent validity further confirmed the adequacy of the measurement model. All average variance extracted values were above the recommended cutoff value of 0.50, ranging from 0.603 to 0.769. This suggests that each construct explained more than half of the variance of its indicators. The findings provide strong evidence that the measurement scales possess adequate reliability and convergent validity. Therefore, the measurement model can be considered psychometrically sound, allowing the analysis to proceed to the assessment of discriminant validity and the structural relationships among the study constructs.

The result of discriminant validity using Fornell and Larcker is presented in Table 3, the square root of the average variance extracted for each construct (diagonal elements) exceeded its correlations with all other constructs. This pattern indicates that each construct shared more variance with its own indicators than with other latent variables in the model. The findings provide satisfactory evidence of discriminant validity, supporting the conceptual model. The results of discriminant validity using HTMT are reported in Table 4, all HTMT values were substantially below the conservative threshold of 0.85. These results indicate that the constructs are empirically distinct and capture different conceptual dimensions of tourists’ environmental perceptions and behaviors. The HTMT findings, together with the results of the Fornell–Larcker criterion, provide strong evidence of discriminant validity and confirm that the latent constructs included in the model are sufficiently differentiated from one another (Fornell and Larcker, 1981). Consequently, the measurement model demonstrates satisfactory construct validity and is appropriate for subsequent structural model analysis. Furthermore, the VIF analysis showed that all values were below the recommended threshold of 3 (Appendix), indicating that multicollinearity did not pose a serious concern in the present study.

4.3 Structural model assessment

Following the confirmation of the measurement model, the structural relationships among the study constructs were evaluated. As illustrated in Figure 3, social media influence exhibited positive effects on all four mediating variables, including environmental knowledge (β = 0.348), environmental attitude (β = 0.109), environmental values (β = 0.535), and subjective norms (β = 0.336). Among these relationships, the strongest effect was observed for environmental values, suggesting that social media plays an important role in strengthening tourists’ environmental value orientations. The results further indicated that all four mediating constructs positively influenced pro-environmental behavior. Environmental attitude demonstrated the strongest direct effect on environmental behavior (β = 0.239), followed by subjective norms (β = 0.190), environmental knowledge (β = 0.171), and environmental values (β = 0.165). These findings suggest that cognitive, attitudinal, value-based, and social norms all contribute to the development of environmentally responsible behavior among tourists in forest destinations. In addition to the indirect pathways, social media exerted a direct positive influence on pro-environmental behavior (β = 0.167). The decomposition of effects revealed that the indirect (Table 5) effect of social media through the proposed mediators (β = 0.317) was substantially larger than its direct effect. Consequently, the total effect of social media on pro-environmental behavior reached 0.484, indicating that social media serves as a meaningful driver of environmentally responsible behavior both directly and indirectly through psychological and social processes. Regarding the explanatory power of the model, the proposed framework explained 42.8% of the variance in pro-environmental behavior (R² = 0.428). The model also accounted for 28.7% of the variance in environmental values, 19.4% in environmental attitude, 12.1% in environmental knowledge, and 11.3% in subjective norms. These results indicate that social media contributes to the formation of several environmental antecedents, which subsequently enhance tourists’ pro-environmental behavior in forest tourism settings. The results also indicated that the study variables were able to explain approximately 39% of the variance in individuals’ environmental attitudes.

Figure 3

4.4 Hypothesis testing

The hypothesized relationships were assessed using the bootstrapping procedure, and the results are reported in Table 6. The findings revealed that social media exerted significant positive effects on environmental knowledge (t = 9.419, p < 0.01), environmental attitude (t = 2.668, p < 0.01), environmental values (t = 17.579, p < 0.01), and subjective norms (t = 9.886, p < 0.01), supporting H1a, H2a, H3a, and H4a, respectively. The results further showed that environmental knowledge (t = 2.191, p < 0.01), environmental attitude (t = 5.059, p < 0.01), environmental values (t = 3.783, p < 0.01), and subjective norms (t = 5.146, p < 0.01) significantly enhanced environmental behavior. Therefore, H1c, H2b, H3c, and H4c were supported. These findings suggest that tourists’ pro-environmental behavior is influenced by cognitive, attitudinal, value-based, and normative variables. The results of the study indicated that the second-order constructs of the model including environmental knowledge (t = 2.191, p < 0.01), environmental values (t = 9.548, p < 0.01), and subjective norms (t = 6.976, p < 0.01), had a significant effect on environmental attitudes, thereby supporting the proposed H1b, H3b, and H4b hypotheses.

In addition, social media had a significant direct effect on environmental behavior (t = 4.569, p < 0.001), supporting H5. This result indicates that social media can promote environmentally responsible behavior not only indirectly through psychological variables but also through a direct behavioral pathway. The mediation analysis provided additional support for the proposed framework. Significant indirect effects were identified through environmental knowledge (t = 4.500, p < 0.001), environmental attitude (t = 4.699, p < 0.001), environmental values (t = 3.742, p < 0.001), and subjective norms (t = 4.620, p < 0.001), supporting H6–H9. Collectively, these findings indicate that the influence of social media on environmental behavior is transmitted through multiple complementary pathways, highlighting the importance of knowledge formation, attitudinal development, value reinforcement, and normative influences in shaping tourists’ environmentally responsible actions.

5 Discussion

This study was designed to explore the paths of influence of social media on pro-environmental behavior of tourists in forest destinations. The findings revealed that social media serves as a powerful antecedent of tourists’ pro-environmental behavior by influencing multiple psychological variables simultaneously. More importantly, the pattern of results suggests that social media does not simply provide environmental information; rather, it shapes how tourists understand environmental issues, how they evaluate them, what values they associate with them, and how they perceive socially desirable behavior. This multidimensional influence highlights the increasingly transformative role of digital communication in environmentally sensitive tourism settings. The influence of social media will be discussed based on its paths of impact.

5.1 Social media as a driver of environmental cognition, attitudes, values, and norms

The results demonstrate that social media positively influenced environmental knowledge, environmental attitude, environmental values, and subjective norms. However, the strength of these relationships was not uniform. This finding that these relationships were not equally strong is also important and is supported by literature. Some studies report uneven effects across outcome variables, with certain platforms or forms of engagement more strongly linked to awareness and norms than to deeper values or long-term behavioral change (Gómez-Casillas and Gómez Márquez, 2023). This suggests that social media may be more effective at increasing immediate knowledge and social pressure than at transforming underlying environmental values, which are often more stable and shaped by long-term personal, cultural, and institutional influences. However, not all research presents uniformly positive conclusions. Some studies emphasize that social media can produce mixed or even negative outcomes because of misinformation, echo chambers, superficial engagement, and the attitude–behavior gap (Liu and Li, 2021). Research notes that social media may amplify greenwashing and overconsumption alongside sustainability messages, which weakens its overall environmental contribution (Salimi et al., 2026). In addition, some findings show that social networking site involvement does not always translate into stronger environmental concern (Gómez-Casillas and Gómez Márquez, 2023), suggesting that mere exposure or use is not enough unless the content is credible, relevant, and persuasive. These studies, to some extent, corroborate the differential effects of social media on the various constructs of the model examined in this research.

The particularly strong influence of social media on environmental values suggests that digital platforms may be more effective in shaping deeper motivational orientations than in simply transmitting information. This finding aligns with research that corroborates the role of media in articulating environmental values across different contexts (Xie and Madni, 2023; Khan et al., 2025). Since social media has potential to expose users to environmental stories, conservation campaigns, visual representations of environmental degradation, and narratives emphasizing ecological responsibility, consequently, this source can influence the value structures that guide tourists’ judgments and behavioral choices (Ng et al., 2025). In fact, studies have identified social media as a tool for environmental education, through which environmental values can be promoted (Chung et al., 2020). This result suggests that promotional and educational programs on social media can focus on environmental values that are more strongly comprehensible to individuals and have a significant impact on their behavior. The significant influence of social media on environmental attitude further suggests that digital platforms contribute to the formation of favorable evaluations toward environmental protection (Qayyoum and Hameed, 2023). Other studies have confirmed the role of social media in strengthening individuals’ environmental attitudes toward purchasing green products or consumer engagement (Zafar et al., 2021; Nabivi, 2025). However, this study examined this pathway in forest tourism and confirmed it as well. In fact, the result shows that, in addition to providing environmental information, social media can shape people’s perceptions of the desirability or necessity of environmental considerations in this context. This result shows that merely providing environmental information is not sufficient; rather, such information must be designed in a way that strengthens individuals’ attitudes, so that it goes beyond the simple presentation of abstract information and moves toward a pathway that influences people’s attitudes.

The positive relationship between social media and environmental knowledge indicates that digital platforms have become important sources of environmental learning. The impact of media on environmental knowledge has been confirmed in various studies; however, in this study, this factor did not demonstrate the strongest effect (Qayyoum and Hameed, 2023; Onuegbu et al., 2024a).Forest tourists increasingly rely on social media to obtain information about destinations, recreational activities, environmental regulations, and conservation initiatives (Lin et al., 2024). Through continuous interaction with environmental content, users are exposed to information that enhances their understanding of ecological issues and the environmental consequences of human activities (Awan et al., 2022). Nevertheless, the weaker effect observed for environmental knowledge compared with environmental values suggests that the influence of social media extends beyond information dissemination. The findings imply that social media functions not merely as an educational tool but also as a tool through which environmental meanings and value systems are constructed. Similarly, social media significantly strengthened subjective norms, indicating that digital environments contribute to the formation of social expectations regarding environmental responsibility. The research showed that media can influence individuals’ subjective norms by articulating societal expectations (Brock Baskin et al., 2023; Parveen and Chaudhary, 2025). However, this factor had the least impact from social media, which may suggest that subjective norms are shaped by various other factors beyond the issues addressed on social media platforms (Maleknia et al., 2025). Unlike traditional communication channels, social media allows individuals to observe the attitudes and behaviors of large numbers of others in real time. Through likes, comments, shares, and public endorsements, environmentally responsible actions become socially visible and socially rewarded. As a result, tourists may increasingly perceive pro-environmental behavior as socially desirable and expected, reinforcing normative pressures that encourage environmentally responsible conduct.

5.2 Understanding the determinants of pro-environmental behavior

The findings further demonstrate that environmental knowledge, environmental attitude, environmental values, and subjective norms all contribute significantly to pro-environmental behavior. However, notable differences emerged regarding their relative influence. Environmental attitude exhibited the strongest effect on behavior among all mediating constructs. This is aligned with former research (Liu et al., 2020; Erhabor and Erhabor, 2025) and theories such as TPB (Ajzen, 1993), which attitude is important or main determinant of behavior. This finding suggests that favorable evaluations of environmental protection represent the most immediate psychological driver of environmentally responsible action. While individuals may possess environmental knowledge or endorse environmental values, actual behavior often depends on whether they develop positive evaluations toward engaging in specific environmental practices (Tran et al., 2024). In forest tourism settings, tourists who view environmental protection as beneficial, worthwhile, and personally meaningful are more likely to translate their beliefs into concrete actions such as waste reduction, compliance with environmental regulations, and participation in conservation-oriented activities (Wang and Wang, 2022). This result once again underscores the importance of moving beyond the mere provision of abstract environmental information and instead leveraging social media to deliver information that actively strengthens attitudes.

An important finding of this study about attitude as the strongest determinant of behavior, is that environmental knowledge, environmental values, and subjective norms all exert significant positive effects on environmental attitudes, providing a more comprehensive understanding of attitude formation in the context of forest tourism. Previous studies have frequently identified these constructs as independent predictors of pro-environmental behavior (Bouman et al., 2020; Jayasekara et al., 2024), often overlooking the possibility that they interact through the formation of attitudes. The present findings suggest that tourists' environmental attitudes are not shaped by a single cognitive or social factor, but rather emerge from the combined influence of what individuals know about environmental issues, the values they attach to environmental protection, and the social expectations they perceive within their reference groups. This integrated pattern is consistent with the KAP framework (Guo et al., 2025), and findings about influence of subjective norms on attitudes (Smith and Louis, 2008; Bosnjak et al., 2020), which emphasizes the role of knowledge and subjective norms in shaping attitudes before behavior occurs, while also extending previous research by demonstrating that environmental values and subjective norms contribute to the same attitudinal process. Likewise, the significant effect of environmental values supports earlier research (Shi and Chen, 2024; Baltacı et al., 2025), suggesting that deeply held environmental values provide an evaluative basis upon which favorable environmental attitudes are formed. These findings suggest that rather than functioning merely as another predictor of pro-environmental behavior, environmental attitude appears to act as a key psychological mechanism through which cognitive (knowledge), value-based (environmental values), and normative (subjective norms) influences are translated into behavioral responses. This hierarchical structure offers a richer explanation of tourists' pro-environmental behavior than models that consider these constructs as parallel and independent predictors, highlighting the importance of attitude formation as a critical stage in the behavioral change process.

Subjective norms emerged as the second strongest predictor of environmental behavior. This finding highlights the importance of social influence within tourism environments. This finding corroborates previous studies suggesting that subjective norms play a decisive role in explaining individuals’ environmental behavior (Li et al., 2025; Mohammadi et al., 2025). Nevertheless, several studies have found that subjective norms are not significantly associated with pro-environmental behavior (Armitage and Conner, 2001; Salinero et al., 2025). Such discrepancies may stem from cultural variations across populations or from the nature of the behavior being examined, particularly in contexts where social control and normative pressure are relatively weak, reducing the influence of subjective norms on individuals' behavioral decisions (Iacoviello and Lorenzi-Cioldi, 2019; Morren and Grinstein, 2021). The result suggests that pro-environmental behavior among tourists in study region is not solely driven by individual motivations but is also shaped by broader social expectations and perceived social approval. A critical observation in this regard is the significant influence of subjective norms coupled with the relatively limited impact of media on this factor. Given the importance of subjective norms in determining behavior, it is essential that social media strategies shift their focus toward this dimension. Consequently, perceptions regarding what important others expect can significantly influence behavioral choices.

Although environmental knowledge significantly influenced behavior, its effect was comparatively weaker. Previous studies have reported inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between environmental knowledge and pro-environmental behavior. While some studies have found that environmental knowledge exerts only a limited influence on pro-environmental behavior (Kollmuss and Agyeman, 2002; Guo et al., 2025), others have reported a substantial effect (Jayasekara et al., 2024; Erhabor and Erhabor, 2025). These mixed findings may reflect the well-documented knowledge–behavior gap, suggesting that knowledge alone is often insufficient to motivate behavioral change. Alternatively, they may indicate that environmental knowledge influences behavior through different psychological and social pathways rather than solely through a direct effect (Blake, 2018). Individuals may understand environmental problems and recognize environmentally responsible practices without necessarily translating that understanding into action. Behavioral decisions are frequently influenced by emotional, social, and value-based considerations that extend beyond factual knowledge (Ágoston et al., 2024). Therefore, environmental education initiatives that focus exclusively on information provision may achieve limited behavioral outcomes unless they also address attitudes, values, and normative influences. Environmental values also positively influenced pro-environmental behavior, confirming that underlying value orientations contribute to environmentally responsible actions. The research confirmed that the role of perceived values of environment can determine individuals’ behavior (Cuadrado et al., 2022; Lengieza and Aviste, 2025). However, the relatively lower magnitude of this effect compared with environmental attitude suggests that values may operate more indirectly by providing a broad motivational foundation rather than serving as immediate determinants of behavior. Values establish general preferences and priorities, whereas attitudes appear to function as more direct influence connecting these orientations to actual behavioral decisions.

When considered collectively, the significant relationships observed in this study indicate that pro-environmental behavior is unlikely to emerge from a single psychological determinant. Instead, the findings support a sequential process in which digital communication enhances environmental knowledge, strengthens environmental values, reinforces subjective norms, shapes environmental attitudes, and ultimately encourages responsible behavior. This interconnected pattern highlights the multidimensional nature of behavioral change within digital tourism environment.

5.3 The mediating role of constructs of model

The findings showed that the influence of social media on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior cannot be adequately understood as a direct communication-to-action process. Instead, the findings point to a more complex psychological process in which social media contributes to behavioral change by shaping the cognitive, evaluative, value-based, and normative conditions surrounding environmental behavior. This interpretation is consistent with previous research showing that social media can enhance environmental knowledge, strengthen environmental values, influence attitudes, and reinforce perceptions of social expectations (Brock Baskin et al., 2023; Onuegbu et al., 2024). However, the present study moves beyond these relatively fragmented explanations by considering these mechanisms within a single behavioral framework. The findings suggest that the contribution of social media lies not simply in providing more environmental information, but in creating a communicative environment in which information, values, social influence, and personal evaluations can develop simultaneously. This interconnected pattern also helps explain why previous studies have sometimes reported inconsistent relationships between individual environmental determinants and actual behavior (Conner and Norman, 2022; Nikolić et al., 2022). Possessing environmental knowledge, for example, does not necessarily mean that an individual will behave responsibly, just as holding strong environmental values may not automatically translate into action. This interpretation is particularly meaningful in forest tourism, where tourists may understand the ecological importance of forests while simultaneously facing competing motivations, habits, and situational considerations during their visits.

The mediating relationships further suggest that social media should be conceptualized as a psychologically influential environment rather than merely an information-delivery channel. Unlike conventional communication settings, social media combines information exposure with observation, interaction, social endorsement, and continuous feedback (Wang and Wu, 2024; Yin et al., 2024). Tourists can encounter environmental information, observe how others respond to environmental issues, see responsible behavior receiving social approval, and engage with narratives that attach personal and emotional meaning to forest conservation. The mediation findings provide a basis for moving beyond the relatively simple question of whether social media promotes pro-environmental behavior. The more important issue is how this influence is translated into behavioral change. The present study suggests that the answer lies in the interconnected formation of what tourists know, what they value, how they perceive social expectations, and how they evaluate environmental responsibility. This perspective strengthens the theoretical contribution of the study by positioning social media within a broader psychological process of behavioral formation and, at the same time, helps explain why its influence may extend beyond immediate communication effects toward more.

5.4 Implications

The findings of this study offer several theoretical implications for research on social media, environmental psychology, and sustainable tourism. While previous studies have largely established that social media can influence tourists' environmental behavior, they have provided limited insight into the psychological processes through which this influence occurs. The present study addresses this issue by demonstrating that the impact of social media extends beyond direct behavioral influence and operates through a network of interrelated psychological mechanisms. Rather than acting independently, environmental knowledge, environmental values, subjective norms, and environmental attitudes collectively explain how digital communication can translate into environmentally responsible behavior in forest tourism. Another important contribution lies in the conceptual structure of the proposed model. Existing studies have commonly examined cognitive, affective, or normative determinants of pro-environmental behavior separately. By integrating these dimensions within a single explanatory framework, the present study provides empirical evidence that pro-environmental behavior emerges from the interaction of multiple psychological processes rather than from any single determinant alone. In particular, the significant effects of environmental knowledge, environmental values, and subjective norms on environmental attitudes highlight attitude as a central psychological mechanism through which social media influences behavioral outcomes. This hierarchical structure offers a more comprehensive understanding of behavioral formation than models treating these constructs as isolated predictors.

The study also contributes to behavioral theory by bringing together complementary theoretical perspectives that have rarely been integrated in the context of forest tourism. Cultivation theory explains how continuous exposure to environmental content on social media shapes individuals' perceptions and values, SCT provides a basis for learning through observation and online interaction, the KAP framework explains the transition from environmental knowledge to environmental attitudes, and the TPB clarifies how attitudes and subjective norms ultimately influence behavior. Rather than viewing these theories as competing explanations, the findings suggest that they capture different stages of the same behavioral process and together provide a more complete explanation of how social media fosters pro-environmental behavior. Finally, the study extends the application of social media research beyond its traditional focus on destination marketing and travel decision-making. By positioning social media as a driver of psychological change rather than merely a communication channel, the findings contribute to a growing body of literature that views digital platforms as instruments for promoting long-term environmental responsibility and sustainable tourism practices.

The findings of this study also provide practical guidance for policymakers, forest managers, destination management organizations, and environmental communication practitioners seeking to promote sustainable behavior among forest tourists. The results suggest that social media should not be viewed merely as a platform for disseminating environmental information, but rather as a strategic tool for shaping the psychological drivers of pro-environmental behavior. Communication campaigns are therefore likely to be more effective when they move beyond awareness-raising and simultaneously strengthen environmental knowledge, reinforce pro-environmental values, cultivate supportive social norms, and foster positive environmental attitudes. From a management perspective, forest authorities and destination managers should develop evidence-based digital communication strategies that combine educational content with emotionally engaging narratives, peer-to-peer interaction, and visible examples of responsible environmental practices. Encouraging visitors to share their own conservation experiences, collaborating with trusted local influencers and environmental organizations, and highlighting socially valued pro-environmental behaviors can help create positive normative pressure while strengthening environmental attitudes. At the policy level, integrating social media into broader environmental education and sustainable tourism programs may increase the effectiveness of public engagement initiatives. Such an approach recognizes that lasting behavioral change depends not only on providing information, but also on creating digital environments that encourage learning, reinforce environmental values, and normalize responsible behavior within online communities.

6 Limitations and future research directions

Although this study yielded findings relevant to the research topic, it is subject to several limitations that should be taken into account when interpreting or generalizing the results. These limitations, along with suggestions for future research, are presented in two sections: conceptual and methodological. From a conceptual perspective, although the model variables, particularly social media, were able to explain a portion of the variance in tourists’ pro-environmental behavior in the forest area, and social media also demonstrated a significant effect on the mediating variables, other potential pathways of influence may exist. In addition, different dimensions of social media such as content type or modes of content dissemination, may further shape these effects. Therefore, it is recommended that future research explore additional pathways through which social media may exert influence, as well as examine the role of content characteristics in shaping pro-environmental behavior and other components of the model.

Methodologically, the data were collected using a cross-sectional design, which limits the ability to draw causal inferences between variables. Future studies could adopt longitudinal approaches to better examine changes over time. The study relied on self-reported data, which may be subject to common method bias and social desirability effects. Although efforts were made to ensure anonymity, respondents may still have provided socially acceptable answers rather than reflecting their true behaviors. The sample was limited to tourists in specific forest destinations, which may restrict the generalizability of the results to other contexts or types of tourism. Expanding the sample to include diverse geographical areas and tourism settings would enhance external validity. Finally, while this study focused on key psychological and social factors, other potentially influential variables such as cultural background, economic conditions, or situational constraints, were not included. Future research is encouraged to incorporate a broader range of variables to provide a more comprehensive understanding of pro-environmental behavior.

7 Conclusion

This study investigated how social media influences tourists' pro-environmental behavior in forest destinations by integrating multiple psychological mechanisms within a comprehensive behavioral framework. The findings demonstrate that social media exerts both direct and indirect effects on pro-environmental behavior. Beyond its direct influence, social media promotes environmentally responsible behavior by enhancing environmental knowledge, strengthening environmental values, fostering subjective norms, and cultivating positive environmental attitudes. Furthermore, the results reveal that environmental knowledge, environmental values, and subjective norms contribute to the formation of environmental attitudes, highlighting attitude as a central psychological mechanism linking digital communication to behavioral outcomes. From a theoretical perspective, this study extends the existing literature in several important ways. Rather than treating environmental knowledge, attitudes, values, and subjective norms as independent predictors of behavior, the proposed framework conceptualizes them as interconnected psychological processes through which social media shapes pro-environmental behavior. By integrating concepts from cultivation theory, SCT, the KAP framework, and the TPB, the study offers a more comprehensive explanation of how digital communication environments influence environmentally responsible behavior than approaches relying on a single theoretical perspective. In doing so, it shifts the focus of social media research beyond traditional tourism marketing outcomes toward the psychological mechanisms that support sustainable behavior in forest tourism. The findings also provide several practical implications for forest managers, destination management organizations, policymakers, and environmental communication practitioners. The results suggest that social media campaigns should extend beyond merely increasing environmental awareness. More effective communication strategies should simultaneously enhance tourists' environmental knowledge, reinforce pro-environmental values, strengthen positive social norms through online communities and peer interactions, and foster favorable environmental attitudes. Such multidimensional communication strategies are more likely to encourage environmentally responsible behavior and contribute to the sustainable management of forest tourism destinations.

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