The Effect of Social Networks Usage on the Promotion of Pro-environmental behavior in Tourism (Case Study: Telegram Social Network)

Introduction The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of using telegram on promoting the environmental behavior of tourism students. The theoretical framework of this research is based on the theory of communicative action of Habermas (Translated by Burger, 1991), Wolkhart theory about the influence of groups (Zanjani and Mohammad Javadi, 2005), Mass communication theory (Ognyanova and Ball-Rokeach, 2015) and the theory of the Castells network society(Translated by Aligholian et al., 2010), The importance of this research is that it familiarizes the policymakers of the environmental education in tourism with the effect of telegram as one of ICT-based social networks on environmental education and promotion of pro-environmental behavior among tourism students.
Materials and Methods In terms of the methodology, this research is quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest and control group. The study sample included 40 students of the Payame Noor University of Markazi province that who were selected by the available sampling method and were randomly assigned into study as well as control groups. At first, both groups were given the pretest and afterwards the necessary trainings based on the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP, 2015) and the terms and culture of the country were provided in the form of text, image and video posts on the created group of Telegram. After 3 months, in order to measure the effect of the provided environmental training through Telegram, the students were given the posttest. The data collection tool included a questionnaire (Salehi et al., 2012) whose content validity was quantitatively and qualitatively as well as reliability-wise confirmed. The data were then analyzed through using the descriptive and inferential statistics and SPSS software.
According to the results of the covariance analysis test and with respect to the fact that the significance level of the test in environmental behavior of tourism that it indicates the effect of the environmental education with the help of telegram on the promotion of the student's environmental behavior of tourism. The mean comparison of the pretest and posttest has shown that the mean variable of the posttest compared to the pretest was higher in this variable. Also, the results of the post hoc test have shown that the mean of the telegram group was higher than the mean of the control group in this variable. The effect of training through Telegram for the variable of pro-environmental behavior in tourism of the study group was respectively .567.
Conclusion Pro-environmental tourism education through Telegram has a positive and significant effect on dimension of student's Pro-environmental behavior in tourism. Respectively, about 57% of the variance pro-environmental behavior in tourism of the study group can be explained exclusively by applying the training method (environmental education of Telegram). This confirms that it is possible to use the capacity of this messenger's social network for environmental education related to tourism to students. The results of this study seem to be consistent with theory of communicative action Habermas, Wolkhart theory about the influence of groups, Mass communication theory and the theory of the network society. The theoretical achievement of this research can be confirmed the need to consider and use the capacities of virtual social networks in promoting environmental tourism behaviors and turning them into opportunities for this field.