Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior to understand residents’ coping behaviors for reducing the health risks posed by haze pollution

Zhihua Xu, Jingmei Li, Jingzhu Shan () and Wensi Zhang
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Zhihua Xu: Ocean University of China
Jingmei Li: Ocean University of China
Jingzhu Shan: Ocean University of China
Wensi Zhang: Ocean University of China

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2021, vol. 23, issue 2, No 44, 2122-2142

Abstract: Abstract Haze pollution threatens residents’ health and has become an important public problem in China. With the gradual improvement of public environment consciousness, government failure in the environmental protection might stimulate individual coping behaviors. However, there is no implication about the mechanism differences within individual coping behaviors. This study aimed to understand Beijing residents’ four coping behaviors against health risks of haze pollution including two behaviors of “inverted quarantine,” i.e., wearing a mask when go outside (WM), purchasing air purifier (PAP), and two environmentally friendly behaviors, i.e., purchasing new energy vehicles (PNEV), making a real-time report of air pollution incidents to the government (MRR). We introduced risk perception and income into the theory of planned behavior, and used structural equation model to explore the formation mechanism of coping behaviors. The results showed that the positive effect of intention on behaviors of “inverted quarantine” is relatively higher than these environmentally friendly behaviors. Behavioral intentions are significantly affected by attitude (βWM = 0.24; βPAP = 0.37; βPNEV = 0.45; βMRR = 0.16), subjective norm (βWM = 0.46; βPAP = 0.41; βPNEV = 0.31; βMRR = 0.62) and risk perception (βWM = 0.74; βPAP = 0.73; βPNEV = 1.07; βMRR = 0.74) at 1% level. Furthermore, richer people showed higher level of coping behaviors than the poor, but showed similar or lower level of coping behavioral intentions. The conclusions would be helpful for policy makers to take effective measures to guide public behaviors and promote public participation in air pollution control.

Keywords: Haze pollution; Risk perception; Theory of planned behavior; Coping behaviors; Beijing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-020-00666-5

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