Antecedents and Consequences of Conspicuous Green Behavior on Social Media–Model Questionnaire

Abstract

The Antecedents and Consequences of Conspicuous Green Behavior on Social Media–Model (Wallace & Buil, 2023) is a robust, 56-item measurement instrument developed to systematically assess the factors preceding (antecedents) and following (consequences) conspicuous green behavior (CGB) displayed on social media platforms. This inventory was specifically designed for an academic study that extended the traditional Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by incorporating the concept of virtual self-identity to investigate its relationship with CGB and subsequent pro-environmental intention and behavior.

The items included in this comprehensive measure were adapted from seminal prior research, including works by Ajzen (1991, 2006) focusing on reasoned action models, Dumas et al. (2017), and Hendin & Cheek (1997). The scale was administered to a targeted population of Instagram users located in the United States and was rigorously evaluated using structural equation modeling (SEM). The resultant statistical analysis confirmed satisfactory results concerning both the reliability and the validity of the instrument across all constructs.

Keywords

Perceived Behavioral Control, Attitude, Subjective Norms, Intention, Normative Like-Seeking Behavior, Deceptive Like-Seeking Behavior, Narcissism, Conspicuous Green Behavior, Pro-Environmental Behavior, Virtual Self-Identity, Theory of Planned Behavior, Conservation (Ecological Behavior), Environmental Attitudes, Self-Concept, Reasoned Action, Social Media, Behavioral Intention, Online Behavior, Environmental Measures.

Authors

Elaine Wallace, Isabel Buil

Purpose

The primary purpose of this measurement model is to provide a structured and validated tool for assessing the drivers and outcomes of environmentally friendly actions performed publicly on social networking sites. It specifically focuses on quantifying how personal factors and social pressure translate into observable green behaviors within an online context.

The model’s goal is to advance understanding of how consumers’ virtual identities influence their willingness to engage in conspicuous displays of environmentalism, thereby bridging traditional psychological theories of behavior (like TPB) with contemporary online social dynamics.

Construct

The instrument is a 56-item measure designed to capture nine core constructs, many of which are derived from the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), alongside specific measures related to online self-presentation and environmentalism. The core constructs assessed are:

• Perceived Behavioral Control: The perceived ease or difficulty of performing pro-environmental actions.
• Attitude: A person’s favorable or unfavorable evaluation of taking pro-environmental actions.
• Subjective Norms: The perceived social pressure to engage or not engage in pro-environmental actions.
• Intention: The motivation or conscious plan to execute pro-environmental actions.
• Narcissism: Self-absorption and ego-driven motivations, crucial for understanding conspicuous behavior.
• Normative and Deceptive Like-Seeking Behavior: Measures of routine and manipulative online self-presentation tactics.
• Conspicuous Green Behavior: The publicly observable display of environmental commitment on social media.
• Pro-Environmental Behavior: A broad measure of actual actions, broken down into detailed sub-constructs such as Eco-driving, Eco-shopping, Waste reduction, Conservation, and Political actions.

Validity

The instrument demonstrates strong evidence of both convergent and discriminant validity, crucial requirements for robust measurement models analyzed via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).

Convergent Validity: This was strongly supported, as evidenced by the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) values for all constructs consistently exceeding the 0.50 threshold recommended by Fornell & Larcker (1981). This indicates that the items successfully measure their intended latent constructs.

Discriminant Validity: Confirmation of discriminant validity was established using the Heterotrait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT). All HTMT values were found to be below the conservative 0.90 threshold. Furthermore, the bootstrap confidence interval for these HTMT values did not contain the value 1, offering substantial confirmation that the constructs are distinct from one another.

Reliability

The reliability of the instrument was assessed using standard internal consistency measures, confirming the stability and consistency of the scales used in the model.

Internal Consistency: The reliability proved robust across all constructs. Both Cronbach’s alpha values and Composite Reliability (CR) values for all latent variables were calculated to be greater than 0.7. This standard academic threshold confirms a high and acceptable level of internal consistency reliability for the instrument.

Factor Analysis

The measurement model underwent rigorous factor analysis and testing for potential biases to ensure the integrity of the structural relationships examined in the study.

Common Method Bias (CMB): An evaluation for CMB was performed by analyzing Variance Inflation Factors (VIFs). The maximum VIF observed in the proposed model was 2.36. Since this value is significantly below the commonly accepted conservative threshold of 3.3, the findings suggest that common method bias does not pose a significant threat to the validity of the research results.

Structural Equation Modeling (SEM): The reflective measurement model was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Initial analysis necessitated the deletion of one item from the Narcissism measure because its standardized parameter estimate fell below 0.5, indicating a weak factor loading. Following this refinement, the individual item reliability for all remaining factor loadings was confirmed, with all values exceeding 0.60 and achieving statistical significance at a 1% level, demonstrating strong and reliable relationships between observed items and their respective theoretical constructs.

Instrument

Test Type: Original

Format: Items are rated using a combination of 5-point and 7-point scales. Specifically, Perceived Behavioral Control, Subjective Norms, Intention, Narcissism, and Conspicuous Green Behavior items utilize a 7-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). Attitude is measured using 6 bipolar 7-point scales, while Normative and Deceptive Like-seeking Behavior and Pro-environmental Behavior items use a 5-point scale (1 = never, 5 = nearly always).

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Adulthood (18 yrs & older)

Population Details: The sample consisted of Instagram users located in the United States, with a mean age of 33.67 years.

Test Methodology: The instrument’s development and validation methodology incorporated Test Validity, Convergent Validity, Discriminant Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency (using Cronbach’s alpha and CR), Measurement Model analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

Affiliation Email addresses:

• Wallace, Elaine: [email protected]
• Buil, Isabel: [email protected]

Correspondence Address:

Wallace, Elaine: University of Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland, H91 TK33, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The instrument may be used for Research/Teaching purposes. Commercial use is prohibited. No fee is required for academic or teaching use. The instrument was published in 2023.

Reference’s

Wallace, E., & Buil, I. (2023). Antecedents and consequences of conspicuous green behavior on social media: Incorporating the virtual self-identity into the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Business Research, 157, Article 113549. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113549

Items of the Antecedents and Consequences of Conspicuous Green Behavior on Social Media–Model Questionnaire

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The Antecedents and Consequences of Conspicuous Green Behavior on Social Media–Model is a 56-item measure. The constructs assessed by this instrument include:

• Perceived behavioral control

• Attitude

• Subjective norms

• Intention

• Normative Like-seeking behavior

• Deceptive Like-seeking behavior

• Narcissism

• Conspicuous green behavior

• Pro-environmental behavior, which further breaks down into:

  • Eco-driving/transport actions

  • Eco-shopping and eating

  • Waste reduction

  • Conservation

  • Political actions

Constructs and Their Constituent Items

This section outlines the various constructs utilized in the model, followed by a detailed list of their corresponding items.

Perceived Behavioral Control

• PBC1: I feel that I am able to make changes to my lifestyle to adopt pro-environment actions.

• PBC2: If I wanted to, I could take pro-environment actions in the next month.

• PBC3: For me, taking pro-environment actions in the next month would be possible.

• PBC4: Taking pro-environment actions in the next month is up to me.

Attitude

• ATT1: Harmful/Beneficial

• ATT2: Bad/Good

• ATT3: Worthless/Valuable

• ATT4: Unpleasant/Pleasant

• ATT5: Dull/Exciting

• ATT6: Unenjoyable/Enjoyable

Subjective Norms

• SN1: Most people that are important to me take pro-environment actions.

• SN2: The people in my life whose opinion I value would think that I should take pro-environment actions.

• SN3: Most people that are important to me think that I should take pro-environment actions.

• SN4: Most people like me take pro-environment actions.

Intention

• INT1: I intend to take one or more pro-environment actions in the forthcoming month.

• INT2: I will try to take one or more pro-environment actions in the forthcoming month.

• INT3: I have planned to take one or more pro-environment actions in the forthcoming month.

Normative Like-seeking Behavior

• NLSB1: Uploaded a picture.

• NLSB2: Taken a picture.

• NLSB3: Used a filter.

• NLSB4: Used a hashtag.

• NLSB5: Uploaded a picture at a certain time of the day.

• NLSB6: Shared Instagram posts to other social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter).

Deceptive Like-seeking Behavior

• DLSB1: Purchased followers.

• DLSB2: Purchased likes.

• DLSB3: Used software to modify your physical appearance.

• DLSB4: Taken down a picture and then put it back up at a later point.

• DLSB5: Liked other people’s pictures (i.e., ‘Like’ for ‘Like’).

Narcissism

• NAR1: I can become entirely absorbed in thinking about my personal affairs, my health, my cares, or my relations to others.

• NAR2: My feelings are easily hurt by ridicule or by the slighting remarks of others.

• NAR3: When I enter a room I often become self-conscious and feel that the eyes of others are upon me.

• NAR4: I dislike sharing the credit of an achievement with others.

• NAR5: I dislike being with a group unless I know I am appreciated by at least one of those present.

• NAR6: I feel that I am temperamentally different from most people.

• NAR7: I often interpret the remarks of others in a personal way.

• NAR8: I easily become absorbed in my own interests and forget the existence of others.

• NAR9: I feel that I have enough on my hands without worrying about other people’s troubles.

• NAR10: I am secretly ‘put out’ when other people come to me with their troubles, asking me for my time and sympathy.

Conspicuous Green Behavior

• CGB1: I like to post about climate change on Instagram because I get to show my support.

• CGB2: I like to post about climate change on Instagram so that people know I am a good person.

• CGB3: I like to show people that I care about climate change by posting about it on Instagram.

• CGB4: I like to mention climate change on Instagram because it makes me look good.

Pro-environmental Behavior (PEB): Eco-driving/Transport Actions

• PEB1: Drive economically (e.g., braking or accelerating gently).

• PEB2: Walk, cycle, or take public transport for short journeys (i.e., trips of <3 miles).

• PEB3: Use an alternative to traveling (e.g., shopping online).

• PEB4: Share a car journey with someone else.

• PEB5: Cut down on the amount you fly.

Pro-environmental Behavior (PEB): Eco-shopping and Eating

• PEB6: Buy environmentally friendly products.

• PEB7: Eat food which is organic, locally grown, or in season.

• PEB8: Avoid eating meat.

• PEB9: Buy products with less packaging.

Pro-environmental Behavior (PEB): Waste Reduction

• PEB10: Recycle.

• PEB11: Reuse or repair items instead of throwing them away.

• PEB12: Compost your kitchen waste.

Pro-environmental Behavior (PEB): Conservation

• PEB13: Turn off lights you’re not using.

• PEB14: Save water by taking shorter showers.

• PEB15: Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth.

Pro-environmental Behavior (PEB): Political Actions

• PEB16: Write to your government representative about an environmental issue.

• PEB17: Take part in a protest about an environmental issue.

Note: Pro-environmental behavior items are sourced from various prior studies. The item “PEB10: Recycle” was deleted in the validation process. Perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, intention, narcissism, and conspicuous green behavior items are rated on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). Attitude is measured with 6 bipolar 7-point scales. Normative and deceptive like-seeking behavior and pro-environmental behavior items are rated on a 5-point scale (1 = never, 5 = nearly always).