ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Environmental Psychology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1520537
This article is part of the Research TopicNarrating the environment: Innovation, looks and stories on real and virtual boundariesView all articles
The Role of Media in Shaping Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Integrating Media System Dependency Theory and Norm Activation Theory
Provisionally accepted
- Tzu Chi University, Hualien City, Taiwan
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This study examines how media factors influence pro-environmental behavior (PEB) through an integration of Media System Dependency Theory (MSDT) and Norm Activation Theory (NAT). Using both Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (F-DEMATEL) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), it evaluates the effects of media factors on NAT components-awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility-and their role in activating personal norms that drive PEB. The study also considers the moderating impact of self-efficacy on the link between personal norms and PEB. Findings from F-DEMATEL, based on input from 20 experts, indicate a causal connection between media factors (exposure, attention, dependence, credibility) and NAT variables. SEM analysis from a large sample of 1,594 participants in Taiwan reveals that media factors influence NAT components, with awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility indirectly affecting PEB via personal norms. However, the direct effects of the ascription of responsibility and personal norms and the awareness of consequences and PEB were not significant, differing from prior research. Additionally, self-efficacy was found to moderate the positive influence of personal norms on PEB. This study contributes theoretical and practical insights, discusses limitations, and offers directions for future research. This research contributes theoretically and practically, highlights limitations, and suggests avenues for future investigation.
Keywords: Pro-environmental behavior (PEB), Media System Dependency Theory (MSDT), Norm activation theory (NAT), Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (F-DEMATEL), Structural equation modelling (SEM)
Received: 10 Feb 2025; Accepted: 29 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Liao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Chi-Horng Liao, Tzu Chi University, Hualien City, Taiwan
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