The Role of Self-Identity, Social Influence, and Attitudes in Shaping Water Conservation Intentions

Water scarcity is a pressing challenge for countries such as South Africa, requiring the widespread adoption of conservation behaviors. This study examines how self-identity, social influence, and attitudes shape individuals’ intentions to engage in water conservation by emphasizing the psychological and social drivers of pro-environmental behavior. This study investigates whether exposure to useful campaign information enhances attitudes and social reinforcement, leading to stronger conservation intentions. A cross-sectional, quantitative research design was employed, using a positivist paradigm and a deductive theoretical approach. Data were collected through an online survey with 390 respondents, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted using SPSS version 28 and SmartPLS. The findings confirm a significant relationship between social influences, attitudes, and conservation intentions, highlighting the importance of normative pressures in shaping behavior. Self-identity emerged as a key predictor of conservation attitudes and intentions, demonstrating that individuals who strongly identify with pro-environmental values are more likely to commit to water-saving behaviors. This study offers theoretical contributions by demonstrating the role of self-identity and social influence in shaping conservation intentions. In practice, this research can assist policymakers and marketing campaign designers in creating targeted messages that reinforce social norms and encourage individuals to adopt a pro-environmental self-identity, promoting sustainable water conservation.