Social environmental influences on students’ green living behaviour in Vietnam and Malaysia

Growing concerns about climate change have increased the pressure on higher education institutions to foster students’ sustainable lifestyle practices. This study examines the influence of social environmental conditions on the green living behaviour of university students in two ASEAN nations including Vietnam and Malaysia. The study posits a model wherein self-awareness, familial dynamics, and institutional factors serve as critical mediators. Drawing on a dataset of 999 respondents from open and distance learning environments, the analysis applies Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Additionally, Multi-Group Analysis (MGA) is utilized to assess the proposed framework and explore the heterogeneity of behavioural determinants across the two countries. The results show that social environmental influences significantly enhance students’ self-awareness and the support they perceive from their families and universities, which in turn promote green living behaviour. Family emerges as a particularly salient pathway in Vietnam, where both the direct and indirect effects on green living behaviour are stronger than in Malaysia, reflecting the enduring importance of family guidance in shaping students’ lifestyles. By contrast, the direct and mediated effects related to university factors are comparable across the two contexts. The study advances understanding of how social support systems encourage students’ sustainable practices in emerging economies and highlights the need for integrated strategies that simultaneously strengthen self-awareness, family engagement, and university initiatives to cultivate students’ long-term green living.