How Environmental Policy Perception and Social Media Use Impact Pro-Environmental Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Model Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior

Pro-environmental behavior (PEB) is an essential source for solving environmental problems and implementing sustainable development. This study reveals the antecedent mechanisms of PEB from the joint perspective of environmental policy perception (EPP) and social media use (SMU). We developed a moderated mediation model based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and tested the hypotheses using questionnaire data from 408 residents in Tianjin, China. The results indicated that EPP positively affects PEB and that attitude and perceived behavioral control in the TPB framework mediate the relationship between EPP and PEB. SMU not only has a positive effect on PEB but also remotely mediates the effect of EPP on PEB together with perceived behavioral control. Furthermore, gender and age have a positive moderating impact on EPP. This study provides the first theoretical and empirical explanation of how EPP influences PEB within a systematic TPB framework while also introducing SMU as an innovative expansion of the explanatory model. This study also provides recommendations for policymakers on environmental management practices.