Reducing single-use plastic on college campuses: Theory of planned behavior-based brief interventions

Single-use plastic has devastating impacts on the natural environment and scalable theory-based interventions are urgently needed to curb consumption. The purpose of this study is test impact two brief reduction consumption college campuses whether these effects will be mediated by changes in extended Theory Planned Behavior (TPB) model consisting attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, moral descriptive self-identity. 375 undergraduate students (77% female) from colleges southeastern US completed baseline measures beliefs behavior line with TPB model. Participants were then randomized into one three groups - control group (n = 152), app intervention (who tracked a mobile phone for week received TPB-based daily messages via push notifications; n 89), or pledge made reduce email; 134). All participants survey again after week. Results showed that along condition significantly predicted over week, (R2 0.24, p < .001). Additionally, mediation analysis revealed (compared group) reported significant decrease week-long intervention, indirect norms. decreased less no change constructs. suggest influence constructs can expected have corresponding behavior.