Sustainable Consumer Behavior: Identifying Behavior Change Stages in Recycling in the USA
Sustainable consumer behavior refers to any behavior that benefits environmental protection and social justice. Previous research has shown that sustainable consumer behavior is positively associated with consumer wellbeing. Recycling behavior is a type of sustainable behavior that has been studied...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Recycling |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-4321/10/3/111 |
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| _version_ | 1849704845544521728 |
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| author | Jing Jian Xiao Feihong Xia |
| author_facet | Jing Jian Xiao Feihong Xia |
| author_sort | Jing Jian Xiao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sustainable consumer behavior refers to any behavior that benefits environmental protection and social justice. Previous research has shown that sustainable consumer behavior is positively associated with consumer wellbeing. Recycling behavior is a type of sustainable behavior that has been studied extensively. However, research on behavior change in recycling is limited. The purpose of this study is to identify the change stages for recycling behavior among American consumers. Using national data collected in the U.S. and under the guidance of the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM), the results showed that most Americans engage in recycling behavior, but a minority of them do not. Among them, 13% have never considered recycling in the near future. We also identified the differences in behavior change stages in terms of psychological, cognitive, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. The findings have implications for policy makers, business professionals, and consumer educators to develop strategies to encourage consumer recycling behavior. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ae84e501afa548a5947032fab87e5a6e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2313-4321 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Recycling |
| spelling | doaj-art-ae84e501afa548a5947032fab87e5a6e2025-08-20T03:16:38ZengMDPI AGRecycling2313-43212025-06-0110311110.3390/recycling10030111Sustainable Consumer Behavior: Identifying Behavior Change Stages in Recycling in the USAJing Jian Xiao0Feihong Xia1Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Rhode Island, 2 Lower College Road, Kingston, RI 02881, USACollege of Business, University of Rhode Island, 7 Lippitt Road, Kingston, RI 02881, USASustainable consumer behavior refers to any behavior that benefits environmental protection and social justice. Previous research has shown that sustainable consumer behavior is positively associated with consumer wellbeing. Recycling behavior is a type of sustainable behavior that has been studied extensively. However, research on behavior change in recycling is limited. The purpose of this study is to identify the change stages for recycling behavior among American consumers. Using national data collected in the U.S. and under the guidance of the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM), the results showed that most Americans engage in recycling behavior, but a minority of them do not. Among them, 13% have never considered recycling in the near future. We also identified the differences in behavior change stages in terms of psychological, cognitive, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. The findings have implications for policy makers, business professionals, and consumer educators to develop strategies to encourage consumer recycling behavior.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-4321/10/3/111sustainable consumer behaviorbehavioral changerecyclingtranstheoretical model of behavior change (TTM) |
| spellingShingle | Jing Jian Xiao Feihong Xia Sustainable Consumer Behavior: Identifying Behavior Change Stages in Recycling in the USA Recycling sustainable consumer behavior behavioral change recycling transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM) |
| title | Sustainable Consumer Behavior: Identifying Behavior Change Stages in Recycling in the USA |
| title_full | Sustainable Consumer Behavior: Identifying Behavior Change Stages in Recycling in the USA |
| title_fullStr | Sustainable Consumer Behavior: Identifying Behavior Change Stages in Recycling in the USA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sustainable Consumer Behavior: Identifying Behavior Change Stages in Recycling in the USA |
| title_short | Sustainable Consumer Behavior: Identifying Behavior Change Stages in Recycling in the USA |
| title_sort | sustainable consumer behavior identifying behavior change stages in recycling in the usa |
| topic | sustainable consumer behavior behavioral change recycling transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-4321/10/3/111 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jingjianxiao sustainableconsumerbehavioridentifyingbehaviorchangestagesinrecyclingintheusa AT feihongxia sustainableconsumerbehavioridentifyingbehaviorchangestagesinrecyclingintheusa |