Determinants of Moral Norms and Ascription of Responsibility towards Water Conservation: The Case of Mahabad and Miandoab Counties

Agriculture is the largest user of fresh water resources and thus farmers' norms and behaviors are of great importance in water resource management system. The main aim of the present research was to investigate the determinants of farmers' moral norms and ascription of responsibility towards water conservation. This study was a descriptive-correlational research which was carried out using survey method. The study population composed of farmers of Mahabad and Miandoab counties in West Azerbaijan Province from whom 380 farmers were selected as a sample through stratified random sampling method. The research instrument was a questionnaire which its validity confirmed by a panel of experts and the reliability of the items approved through a pilot study. The results revealed that water conservation concern, ascription of responsibility, and place attachment had positive and significant effects on moral norms of water conservation. Furthermore, collectivistic value orientation positively and significantly affected ascription of responsibility. However, individualistic value orientation has significant negative effect on ascription of responsibility. The results generally revealed that independent variables could predict about 58 percent of the variation of farmers' moral norms of water conservation.