Analysis of Environmental Behaviors of Rural People by Applying Protection Motivation Theory

The purpose of this study was to identify the level of responsibility of rural people and the factors underpinning their environmental behaviors. Protection motivation theory was used to explain the problem. The survey method and questionnaire were used to collect data. The statistical population was rural people of Mazandaran province where 536 people were selected as the statistical sample using multi-stage cluster sampling. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to assess the reliability, and formal validity and construct validity were used to measure validity. Tau B. Kendall correlation, T-test with independent data, and multivariate regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The findings show that villagers reported a moderate level of environmentally responsible behavior. Responsible behaviors in terms of age, gender, marital status, education, and employment were not significant. The tendency to do environmental behavior, efficacy and perceived severity of risk were the most important explanatory factors. In the present study, coping assessment elements (efficacy) had a greater impact on responsible environmental behavior than elements of threat assessment (perceived severity risk).