Study on Pro-Environmental Behavior to Enhance Rural Social-Ecological Resilience: The Role of Place Identity and Social Cohesion as Mediating Mechanisms

Yilin Sun, Li Zhu (), Ni Zhang, Honglin Wu, Quhan Chen and Haolong Wang
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Yilin Sun: Research Center of Chinese Village Culture, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Li Zhu: School of Architecture and Art, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Ni Zhang: School of Architecture and Art, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Honglin Wu: School of Architecture and Art, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Quhan Chen: School of Architecture and Art, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Haolong Wang: School of Architecture and Art, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-26

Abstract: Villagers’ pro-environment behaviors profoundly impact the sustainable development of the rural eco-environment. Based on a survey of three traditional Chinese villages dealing with the challenges posed by modern development, we use structural equation models to analyze the contribution of villagers’ pro-environmental behaviors to rural social-ecological resilience (identification of disturbances, internal stability, absorption and transformation, and system innovation). The results show that the former positively impacts the latter. Strengthening public participation at the behavioral level and reusing traditional local knowledge at the cultural level are prominent factors. Place identity and social cohesion are the mediating factors and social mechanisms of the process. Additionally, the degree of ecological environment dependence, age, residence time, and other factors positively correlate with the perception of social-ecological resilience. Therefore, this paper proposes four strategies to strengthen multi-level environmental management, cultivate the local ecological memory, increase the diversity of management forces, and encourage villagers to develop the self-organizing ability of eco-environmental management, which are crucial to the sustainable development of the rural eco-environment. It also provides a promising reference for developing villages facing the same challenge.

Keywords: pro-environmental behavior; social-ecological resilience; place identity; social cohesion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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