Social Roles and Moral Motivation in Environmental Policy: Applying the Norm Activation Model Toward Sustainable Development

ABSTRACT Understanding the social foundations of climate behavior is essential for achieving a just transition. This study examines how gender and parenthood shape normative pathways linking awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility, personal norms, and climate behaviors within the Norm Activation Model. Using nationally representative survey data from South Korea ( N = 2000), general linear models were used to assess mean differences across gender–parenthood groups, and multigroup structural equation modeling tested invariance and group variation in key pathways. This study conceptualizes gender and parenthood as socially embedded roles that condition how normative mechanisms operate, rather than as background demographic variables. Its theoretical contribution lies in demonstrating that differences in normative pathways reflect role‐based variation in how moral motivation is translated into behavior. Results show that the pathway from responsibility to personal norms is stable across groups, whereas differences emerge in how personal norms are enacted behaviorally. The personal norm–behavior pathway is stronger among men than women, and within each gender, parenthood further amplifies this relationship. In contrast, a direct pathway from awareness of consequences to behavior is observed primarily among women. Mean‐level analyses indicate that parents report higher awareness of consequences and responsibility, while women exhibit stronger personal norms and higher engagement in climate‐related behaviors. These findings advance a socially grounded understanding of moral motivation by demonstrating that social roles systematically condition normative processes. Incorporating gender and parenthood into behavioral models can inform more inclusive and role‐sensitive climate policies aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 5, 12, and 13.