Deeds and Words: Farmers’ Attitude-Paradox in Collective Action for Small-Scale Irrigation

Shanshan Miao, Xueqin Zhu, Wim Heijman, Zengwei Xu () and Qian Lu ()
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Shanshan Miao: Development and Research Institute of Central Jiangsu, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Xueqin Zhu: Environmental Economics and Natural Resources Group, Wageningen University, 6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands
Wim Heijman: Agricultural Economics and Rural Policy Group, Wageningen University, 6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands
Zengwei Xu: Business School, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
Qian Lu: Department of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: We explore the mechanisms of the attitude–behavior paradox and how multiple stakeholders strategize to compromise their attitudes and behaviors. Through an instrumental variable probit model, we examine the effect of income heterogeneity and social ties on the farmers’ attitude–behavior paradox for collective action. The empirical results demonstrate that weak and strong ties, income heterogeneity, interaction terms, education, community environment, and community rules negatively affect the paradox, whereas water stealing and water use conflicts positively affect it. After dividing the paradox into two forms, we find that weak ties, the interaction terms thereof, negatively affect the paradox for “having negative attitude but do have behavior”, while income heterogeneity negatively affects the paradox for “having positive attitude but no behavior”. We contribute to the understanding of mechanisms whereby economic incentives and social structures interplay in addressing the above paradox. We conclude by discussing the implications for policies to overcome this social dilemma.

Keywords: collective action; attitude–behavior paradox; income heterogeneity; social ties; instrumental variable probit model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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