Investigating the Rural Women's Environmental Behavior in Halilrood Watershed Area of Jiroft County of Iran Using Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)

Environmental pollution, destruction and overuse of natural resources come mostly from inappropriate human behaviors. The role of women in protecting the environment is considered as a critical contribution to conservation of natural resources. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the environmental behavior of rural women in Halilrood watershed area of Jiroft County in Kerman province of Iran using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in 2017. This survey research was conducted in a descriptive method. Accessible statistical population included rural women of the studied area (N=1288). Sample size was determined via Krejcie and Morgan table (n=297). Sampling was done in a proportional stratified random sampling method. The research instrument was a questionnaire, the validity and reliability of which were confirmed. Study results showed that there was a positive and significant (p≤0.01) relationship between antecedent variables including environmental attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control (PBC) and mediator variable (environmental intention); also, there was a positive and significant (p≤0.01) relationship between the environmental intention and the rural women's behavior. Therefore, antecedent variables could explain 63 percent of variations in the rural women’s behavior by environmental intention