Cognitive Consequences of Legislating Postpurchase Behavior: Growing up with the Bottle Bill

Examined the variables of (1) attitudes toward returning bottles, (2) intentions, (3) behaviors, (4) subjective norms, and (5) habits as they function within the cognitive context of bottle bill legislation. 150 undergraduates who were tested longitudinally manifested significant differences in cross-lagged panel correlations, implying that subjective norms led to bottle bill and ecological attitudes, that behavior and habit led to bottle-returning attitudes, and that ecological attitudes led to intentions. Ss in Oregon had greater pro-ecological attitudes than Ss in neighboring states. Results suggest that public administrators could best facilitate acceptance of these laws by stressing the receptivity of "significant others" in the community to these laws.