What drives students’ green intentions? A psychological approach

This study examines the psychological and motivational factors influencing green behavioral intention among university students, focusing on eco-anxiety, social anxiety, green motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic), and perceived environmental responsibility. Grounded in self-determination theory and value-based frameworks, the study proposes and tests a structural model using data from 350 Vietnamese students, analyzed via PLS-SEM. Results show that both eco-anxiety and social anxiety positively affect intrinsic and extrinsic green motivation, which in turn significantly predict green behavioral intention. Perceived environmental responsibility not only directly influences green intention but also moderates the effects of motivation. All nine hypotheses were supported, and the model accounted for a substantial variance in motivation and intention. The findings underscore the importance of emotional and ethical factors in shaping pro-environmental behavior and offer practical implications for sustainability education and behavior change strategies in higher education.