Learning new recycling rules through virtual reality: a field study on knowledge, self-efficacy, and intentions

Although environmental concern is widespread, sustainable behaviors often break down when individuals are confronted with new or changing rules. While virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool for sustainability interventions, most supporting evidence derives from controlled laboratory settings, leaving its real-world effectiveness largely unexplored. The present field study addresses this gap by testing a VR training intervention in an eco-resort in Tuscany, Italy, during the rollout of a new color-coded waste-sorting system. In this context, where sustainability-related cues and norms were salient, the intervention focused on procedural uncertainty rather than general environmental concern. In a single-group pre–post field study ( N =140), participants completed measures of task-specific self-efficacy for correct sorting, behavioral intentions for the upcoming week, and objective knowledge of the new rules. They then experienced a brief gamified VR simulation reproducing the resort's new ecological stations and providing immediate corrective feedback, followed by post-test measures. All three outcomes (i.e., self-efficacy, rule knowledge, and intentions) increased significantly from pre- to post-VR. A conditional process analysis further showed that increases in self-efficacy predicted increases in intentions only when participants also showed substantial knowledge gains, suggesting that confidence promotes commitment to act most effectively when supported by accurate rule learning. Overall, this field study provides ecologically valid evidence of reliable pre–post improvements following a brief VR training delivered during a real transition in environmental infrastructure. These findings highlight VR as a practical tool for behavioral adaptation during rule changes, coupling mastery-based practice with contextualized rule learning.