From Awareness to Action: Pathways to Eco-Socially Responsible Behavior Among Jordanians

Grounded in an integrated conceptual framework combining the Cognitive–Affective–Conative model, Social Cognitive Theory, and the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study examines the direct and indirect pathways through which environmental awareness translates into eco-socially responsible behavior among Jordanians. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and eight environmental constructs were collected through a telephone survey of 417 Jordanian adults. Path analysis confirmed that environmental awareness had a significant positive effect on eco-socially responsible behavior, with a total effect of β = 0.347 (p < 0.001), combining a direct effect (β = 0.250) and indirect effects (β = 0.097) operating through attitudes and behavioral intention. PBC and behavioral intention emerged as the most proximate determinants of behavior. Behavioral intention functioned as one of the key mediating pathways through which awareness, attitudes, norms, and self-efficacy converged before reaching behavior. Place of residence significantly moderated the awareness–behavior relationship, with urban residents showing a stronger association than rural ones, pointing to the role of structural enabling conditions in shaping sustainable behavior. These findings have implications for sustainability-oriented environmental programming in Jordan and similar resource-constrained contexts in the MENA region, calling for multi-pronged approaches that move beyond awareness-raising to address the psychological and structural intermediaries shaping eco-socially responsible behavior.