A study on the influence of social media on college students' pro-environmental behavior

Abstract

The ubiquitous nature of social media in the daily routines of college students poses a dual prospect and obstacle in the advancement of eco-friendly conduct. The utilization of social media has the potential to augment the dissemination of environmentally conscious messages while simultaneously perpetuating the culture of consumption that is a driving force behind environmental degradation. This study investigates the impact of social media on the pro-environmental conduct of university students within the educational framework of ChengDu, China. A cross-sectional approach was employed to collect data from 287 university students through self-reported measures. The assessment of pro-environmental conduct was conducted across three distinct sub-categories, namely household, information, and transportation. The findings indicate that social media usage positively impacts pro-environmental behavior among college students, with pro-environmental attitudes serving as a partial mediator of this relationship. The research findings indicate a correlation between the utilization of social media and pro-environmental conduct. Additionally, it was observed that this correlation is influenced by the level of environmental consciousness, as a more pronounced positive association was observed among students who exhibit heightened environmental awareness. The findings contribute to the existing literature on the relationship between social media and pro-environmental behavior by elucidating the intermediary and regulatory impacts of pro-environmental attitudes and environmental consciousness. The current study's results have both theoretical and practical implications, as well as the potential to leverage social media to promote environmentally conscious actions among college students. The study suggests potential avenues for future research, such as using longitudinal or experimental methodologies and replicating findings in diverse educational contexts.