UNAM

Residential water use:

Marcos Bustos, Luz Ma. Flores,

& Patricia Andrade

A MODEL OF PERSONAL VARIABLES FOR PREDICTING WATER

CONSERVATION BEHAVIOR IN MEXICO CITY

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoFES Zaragoza

Extended range of proenvironmental action

Nowadays, the research of proenvironmental behavior (PEB) is increasing the number of

problems of resources conservation that has begun to be analyzed.

The problem of water conservation has emerged as one the most important

ecological problems in many regions an cities around the world.

Water comsumption

The ways of reducing the comsumption of fresh water in different human uses has became an

important task for social researchers. The house is a new endeavor for social sciencies. One important possibility that implies in domestic

study of the ways to reduce the comuse

Psychology and the promotion of conservation behavior

Some authors in the area of conservation behavior conceive proenvironmental action (PEB) as a group of effective, deliberated, and anticipated actions that result in the

protection of environmental resources (Grob, 1990; Corral-Verdugo & Pinheiro, 2004).

Other defying characteristics are solidarity and austerity.

Conceptual framework for PEB

Causal Variables (Stern y Oskamp, 1987). It's a jerarquical model that includes variables from sociostructural until psicosocial, personal and behavioral ones.

Applied Perspective (Cook y Berrenberg, 1981). It's a model focused mainly on the promotion of PEB in different alternatives.

Meta-analysis findings (Hines et al. 1986/87)

Variable Corrected correlation coefficient

Verbal commitment .491

Locus of control .365

Attitude .347

Personal responsibility .328

Knowledge .299

Educational level .185

Income .162

Economic orientation .160

Age -.151

Gender .075

Predictors of water conservation

Values (Pierce, 1979) Antecedents and responsability (Gordon, 1982) Motives (Hamilton, 1983) Acttitudes (Kantola, 1982; Aitken, 1994; Lam, 1999) Proenvironmental Competency (Corral-Verdugo,

2002)

Objectives

To Construct a model for predicting PEB Test the model Identify advantges and disadvantages

Derive Implications

Problem of research

Which is the structural fitness of the model of PEB for water conservation?, The included variables in the model are locus control, beliefs, knowledge, motives, and skills.

Hipotheses

We expect finding positive statistical relationships between: Motives , skills, and PEB ; the motives will mediate effectos of skills, risk perception, and locus of control.

The skills will mediate the effects of beliefs an diponibility of water and Knoeledge.

Research strategie

Tipe of study: Correlational, path analysis.

Method

SampleSample:: 349 hosekeepers from Mexico City, 349 hosekeepers from Mexico City, M edge = 45 years, highschool, $ 7400 (616 USD).M edge = 45 years, highschool, $ 7400 (616 USD).

Procedure:Procedure: Indivudual interview with scales Indivudual interview with scales previuosly validaded and accptable consistency previuosly validaded and accptable consistency

levels.levels.

Results

The results were first from a regression analysis. Later a path analysis was

conducted.

Goodness of fitness indices

X2 = 17.1, df =13. p = 0.19

NFI = 0.99

NNFI = 0.99

RMSEA = 0.03

Model

Direct effects on PEB

Motives PEB ß = .13 I. Skills PEB ß = .31 D. Skills PEB ß = .12 Internal Locus PEB ß = .13

Direct Effects between I. V. I. Skills Motives ß = .27 Health Risk Motives ß = .16 Internal Locus motives ß = .13 Beliefs Ob I. Skills ß = .21 Internal Locus I. Skills ß = .17 D. Skills I. Skills ß = .16 Water Supply I. Skills ß = .14 Knowledge I. Skills ß = .11

Total Effects

I. Skills

Internal Locus

D. Skills

Motives

.35

.29

.17

.16

PEBPersonal use of

water

Results

Variable R2

1 Health Risk 0.101

2 Beliefs responsabity for conserving water

0.206

3 Socioenvironmental Motives 0.180

4 D. Skills 0.164

5 I. Skills 0.236

6 Personal use of water 0.255

Discusion

The statistical relatinships Hiptheses and explanation Generality of results Theorical perspectives, new research

problems Intervetion perspectives

Epilog

New interrogants Psycosocial interventions Overcoming problems