Graduation Year

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.A.

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Degree Granting Department

Mass Communications

Major Professor

Kelly Werder, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Scott Liu, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Roxanne Watson, Ph.D.

Keywords

Recycling knowledge, inconvenience, past behavior, behavior intention

Abstract

The aim of this study is to understand the determinants that influence the youth recycling behavior intention. In other words, this study wants to know the motivations and barriers behind university students’ recycling behavior. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which provides a theoretical framework for systematically identifying the determinants of recycling behavior, is the basis for this study. Along with the TPB variables, additional predictor variables (moral norm, past experience, knowledge of how and what to recycle, knowledge of consequences, and inconvenience) that can influence behavior intentions were tested in the study. Online survey was used to collect the required information and the sample consists of 172 students from University of South Florida. The findings suggest that past recycling experience is the major contributor to recycling behavior. Moral norm, knowledge of how and what to recycle and knowledge of consequences are also significant predictors of recycling behavior. In other words, students are more likely to form the intention to recycle, when they have prior experience with recycling on campus, if they personally feel recycling is the right thing to do, when they have appropriate knowledge of recycling and when they are aware of consequences of recycling. Recommendations to promote recycling behavior among students are discussed in this study.

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