How do two facets of social media interaction shape waste sorting behaviour? Empirical evidence from Beijing, China

Abstract

In the ever-changing digital era, social media has become a powerful tool for shaping public environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviour. However, no existing studies have addressed the double-edged role of social media interaction in the context of household waste sorting, particularly in a rapidly developing country with considerable waste management challenges. Against this background, our study aims to investigate the positive and negative impacts of two facets of social media interaction (i.e. online peer influence and perceived information overload) on household waste sorting behaviour in China. Moreover, we investigate the mechanisms behind these impacts by analysing the moderating roles of psychological enablers (i.e. green self-efficacy) and barriers (i.e. environmental apathy). Drawing upon social learning theory, we develop a conceptual model that is empirically tested using 1200 online survey responses from Beijing, one of the most populous cities in China. We then employ a two-stage data analysis technique comprising confirmatory factor analysis and moderated multiple regression analysis to examine the proposed hypotheses. The findings of this pioneering study can assist policymakers and environmentalists in designing successful social intervention strategies that may encourage household waste sorting in large metropolitan regions, such as Beijing.