Psychological and cultural determinants of intentions toward environmentally responsible behavior: A cross-cultural study in the tourism context

The influence of cultural differences on intentions toward environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) among students from diverse cultural contexts remains insufficiently examined. This study analyzes the psychological and cultural determinants of ERB among environmental science students in China ( n = 142) and in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom ( n = 241). The regression analysis showed that awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility are significant positive predictors of ERB in both cultural groups (B > 0.19, p < .05). Personal norms exert a moderate effect in the Chinese sample but are non-significant in the Western one. Cultural engagement demonstrates no significant effect in either group, whereas attitudes toward cultural heritage preservation negatively predict ERB in the Western sample. Theoretically, the study contributes by extending the Norm Activation Model through the inclusion of cultural variables as direct predictors and by providing cross-cultural validation of NAM in the context of environmentally responsible behavioral intentions. Practically, the findings suggest that interventions aimed at increasing environmental awareness and personal responsibility are likely to be effective across cultural contexts, while culturally sensitive strategies are needed to address potential value conflicts between cultural preservation and environmental behavior.