Subjective norms and pro-environmental behavior: The role of environmental awareness and self-efficacy

Climate change is among the leading global concerns and tackling it will require significant changes on various levels of society, including the individual level, where a better understanding of the factors influencing individuals’ pro-environmental behavior (PEB) is needed. Motivated by limited research on integrated models that involve mechanisms and boundary conditions, we explored the complex relationships among subjective norms, environmental awareness, environmental self-efficacy, and PEB through a moderated mediation model. The study was conducted through an online survey of 447 Slovene students and 680 Slovene employees (overall N = 1127). We found that subjective norms, environmental awareness, and self-efficacy positively predicted PEB. Moreover, environmental awareness partially mediated the association between subjective norms and PEB, whereas environmental self-efficacy did not significantly moderate these associations. Our study offers valuable insights into determinants of pro-environmental behavior by highlighting the important role of subjective norms, environmental awareness, and self-efficacy. It also contributes to a better understanding of the intricate dynamics underlying PEB by pointing out that environmental awareness helps translate perceived social pressures into personal action. These findings may inform future interventions aimed at promoting environmentally responsible behavior.