Understanding green behavior in higher education: a cross-cultural comparison among students

Purpose The aim of this study is to investigate the factors influencing individuals’ green behavioral intentions within the context of higher education, as well as the moderating effects of cross-cultural differences between domestic and international college students in Taiwan, based on an extended framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Design/methodology/approach A pilot free-listing interview with 44 domestic and international students was conducted to inform the development of a three-part structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS, using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to examine the hypothesized relationships. A total of 868 valid responses from students living on campus were collected to compare the differences in green behavioral intentions between the two groups. Findings The results revealed that environmental awareness, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control were significant predictors of green behavioral intentions. Taiwanese students exhibited a stronger relationship between environmental awareness and perceived behavioral control compared to international students; the impact of perceived behavioral control on green behavioral intention was more significant among Taiwanese students than among international students. Originality/value This study offers a current snapshot of green behavioral intentions among college students in Taiwan’s higher education, grounded in the Extended TPB. The findings highlight four prevalent eco-friendly actions: food waste reduction, plastic bag reuse, water conservation and the use of reusable bags or backpacks when purchasing products, reflecting both individual agency and normative influence and informing the design of targeted campus sustainability initiatives.