The Relationship among Referents, Opportunity, Rewards, and Punishments in Consumer Attitudes toward Recycling: A Structural Equations Approach

Recycling has long been viewed as a practical solution to the problems associated with the excess of solid waste materials in the United States. Despite publicly and privately sponsored efforts aimed at encouraging consumers to recycle, voluntary participation remains low. This article reviews recycling research and identifies methodological and theoretical gaps in the literature. Two underlying theories emerge from the review: stimulus-response and differential association. Constructs taken from each theory are empirically tested as potential predictors of consumers' attitudes toward recycling. The findings suggest these theories are appropriate explanatory mechanisms in predicting consumers' intention to recycle. Recommendations regarding how best to promote consumer participation in recycling are developed and discussed.