Title: Predicting behaviours related to marine litter prevention: an empirical case based on junior high school students in Italy

Authors: Natalia Marzia Gusmerotti; Filippo Corsini; Francesco Testa; Alessandra Borghini; Fabio Iraldo

Addresses: Institute of Management, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, P.zza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56127 Pisa, Italy ' Institute of Management, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, P.zza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56127 Pisa, Italy ' Institute of Management, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, P.zza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56127 Pisa, Italy ' Institute of Management, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, P.zza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56127 Pisa, Italy ' Institute of Management, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, P.zza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56127 Pisa, Italy

Abstract: Like many other environmental issues, marine litter represents a growing threat that needs to be tackled appropriately. Young adults can play a crucial role in targeting current and future issues related to marine litter given that they tend to be particularly aware of factors regarding sustainability and the environment in general. The study investigates the willingness of junior high school students to be involved in supporting beach clean-up activities and other awareness programs related to marine litter. The findings show how environmental knowledge, awareness of the consequences, attitudes towards marine environment preservation and social norms predict junior high school students' pro-environmental behaviour towards marine protection. Social norms were found to be the highest predictor of pro-environmental behaviour related to marine litter, whereas personal attitudes had a limited influence. The conclusions highlight the future strategies needed both at policy and managerial levels in order to understand how to motivate and further promote junior high school students' engagement in preserving the marine and coastal environment.

Keywords: marine litter; pro-environmental attitudes; young adults; theory of planned behaviour; TPB; behaviour prediction; litter prevention; case study; junior high school students; Italy; water pollution; environmental impact; beach clean-up; coastal environment; environmental knowledge; awareness; public attitudes; consequences; marine environment preservation; social norms; marine protection; sea pollution; marine pollution; waste management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2016.074948

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2016 Vol.8 No.1, pp.1 - 21

Received: 24 Dec 2014
Accepted: 01 Aug 2015
Published online: 25 Feb 2016 *

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