Recycling socialisation: a qualitative study on the role of socialisation agents

Understanding the dynamics of recycling behaviour is crucial to increase recycling rates. This research uses a socialisation perspective to discover how consumers grow into recyclers despite the well-accepted barriers to the behaviour. In-depth interviews were conducted with 26 recyclers in Türkiye to explore socialisation agents' role in promoting behaviour. Findings revealed that media and family are prominent agents in recycling socialisation for Turkish recyclers. Media appeared as the primary source of information, while parents were found to build a fertile ground for recycling by transferring their environmental values and norms. The study also discussed the roles of schools, peers, society, government, and NGOs in the recycling socialisation process.