Determinants of Recycling Behavior: A Synthesis of Research Results

Variables affecting consumer recycling behavior are classified into four theoretical groups: intrinsic & extrinsic incentives, & internal & external facilitators. These clusters of variables, taken from 67 empirical studies, are meta-analyzed, revealing that the strongest predictors of recycling are internal facilitators: specifically, consumer knowledge & commitment to recycling best predict propensity to recycle. External incentives - in particular, monetary rewards & social influence - are the next best predictors, along with frequency of collection. These relationships are further examined to isolate the impact of moderator variables in the studies reviewed: date of study, sample size, & mode of data collection. Based on the results, a model is proposed, & practical implications for motivating consumer participation in waste separation programs are outlined. 2 Tables, 2 Figures, 1 Appendix, 39 References. Adapted from the source document.