Meta-Analysis of the Level of Responsible Behaviors in Iranian Society in Dealing with Environment Based on Rodgers' Evolutionary Approach

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student in Land Use Planning, Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

10.30473/ee.2026.73831.2822

Abstract

According to many environmental experts, the scale of ecological problems is a global challenge because the way humans have chosen to inhabit and utilize their habitat is the result of irresponsible human actions, leading to a critical situation in some areas. Therefore, this study aims to clarify the impact of responsible behaviors in Iranian society in dealing with the environment through a systematic review of theoretical literature. In this study, the data collection system follows a documentary approach, and textual data related to environmentally responsible behaviors are analyzed systematically using Rodgers' evolutionary approach. This analysis considers antecedents, characteristics, consequences, conceptual references, and related concepts. The results indicate that four antecedents (individual and social, cognitive, managerial and governance, and natural)  serve as preconditions for the manifestation of two key characteristics: functional and structural. Moreover, in addition to positive consequences, there are also negative consequences, with the possibility of inconsistencies in outcomes. Furthermore, conceptual references have helped to clarify characteristics and related concepts by enhancing the understanding of similarities, differences, and concept descriptions. Among these, environmental attitudes, awareness, and knowledge are essential prerequisites for changing responsible behaviors, leading to an increased sense of responsibility toward the environment. Accepting responsibility fosters environmental ethics, and the development of such ethics plays a crucial role in addressing environmental crises.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Abdollahi, A. S., & Sadeghi, H. (2024). “Environmental Attitude, Knowledge, and Energy Consumption Behavior (Case Study: Citizens of Isfahan)”. Journals of Environmental Education and Sustainable Development, 12(3), 29-42. [In Persian]. https://doi.org/10.30473/ee.2023.65153.2559
Akhtar, S., Khan, K. U., Atlas, F., & Irfan, M. (2022). “Stimulating student’s pro-environmental behavior in higher education institutions: An ability –motivation– opportunity perspective”. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 24(3), 4128- 4149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-01609-4
Azadkhani, P., Saadatnejhad, M., Sharafkhani, J. (2018). “The Evaluation of Eenvironmental Education and Environmental Protection Practices of Female High School Students in Ilam”. Human & Environment, 1(16), 139-153. [In Persian]          . https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.15625 532.m 1397.16.1.12.3
Abbaszadeh, A., Bani Fatemeh, H., Alizadeh Aghdam, M.B., Alavi, L. (2016). “Study of Intervening Effect of Environmental Responsible Attitude on the Relationship of between Place Attachment and Environmental Behavior”, Journal of Applied Sociology the University of Isfahan, 27(2), 61-80. [In Persian]. https://doi.org/10.22108/jas.2016.20491
Alizadeh-Choobari, O., Zawar-Reza, P., & Sturman, A. (2014). “The wind of 120 days and dust storm activity over the Sistan Basin”. Atmospheric research, 143, 328-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2014.02.001
Aghili, S. M., KHoushfar, G. R., & Salehi, S. (2009). “Social capital and environmental responsible behaviours in the north of Iran (Case Study: Gilan, Mazandaran and Golestan Provinces)”, Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, 16(1), 236-250. [In Persian] . https://www.magiran.com/p752530
Bentler, D., Kadi, G., & Maier, G. W. (2023). “Increasing pro-environmental behavior in the home and work contexts through cognitive dissonance and autonomy”. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1199363. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1199363
Balunde, A., Perlaviciute, G., & Steg, L. (2019). “The relationship between people’s environmental considerations and pro-environmental behavior in Lithuania”. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 2319. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02319
Bararpour, K. (2008). “Assessing the Causes and Consequences of Occurrence of Environment Depletion Cycle in Kelardasht (Diagnosis and Theory)”, Journal of Environmental Studies, 34(1), 13. [In Persian].              https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.10258620.1387.34.45.13.6
Chen, Y. S., Lin, Y. H., & Wu, Y. J. (2020). “How personality affects environmentally responsible behaviour through attitudes towards activities and environmental concern: Evidence from a national park in Taiwan”. Leisure Studies, 39(6), 825-843. https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2020.1778773
Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. (2012). “Tehran: Islamic Consultative Assembly Printing House”. [In Persian] . https://rc.majlis.ir/fa/law/show/132239
Dhir, A., Sadiq, M., Talwar, S., Sakashita, M., & Kaur, P. (2021). “Why do retail consumers buy green apparel? A knowledge- attitude- behaviour- context perspective”. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 59, 102398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102398
Dlamini, S., Tesfamichael, S. G., & Mokhele, T. (2021). “Socio- demographic determinants of environmental attitudes, perceptions, place attachment, and environmentally responsible behaviour in Gauteng province, South Africa”. Scientific African, 12, Article e00772. https://doi:.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2021.e00772
Esmailnejad, M., eskandari sani, M., & Rezaei, E. (2021). “An analysis of the culture and responsible environmental behaviors of Birjand citizens”. Journal of Human and Environment, 19(1 (56) ), 161-173. [In Persian].            https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.15625532.1400.19. 1.12.4
Feili, A., Alipour, S., Sabet, M., Sabet, A. (2022). “The Relationship between Environmental Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior with the Development of Environmental Ethics”, Journal of Ethics in Scince and Technology, 16(4), 81-89. [In Persian].           https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.22517634.1400.16.4.11.0
Fawehinmi, O., Yusliza, M. Y., Mohamad, Z., Noor Faezah, J., & Muhammad, Z. (2020). “Assessing the green behaviour of academics: The role of green human resource management and environmental knowledge”. International Journal of Manpower, 41(7), 879-900. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-07-2019-0347
Farahmand, M., Shokohifar, K., & Sayarkhalaj, H. (2014). “A Study of Social Factor Affecting Environmental Behavior of Residents of the City of Yazd”. Urban Studies, 4(10), 109-141. [In Persian]. https://www.magiran.com/p1273559
Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). “Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior: An introduction to Theory and Research”. Philosophy and Rhetoric. 10 (2), 130-132. 
Hungerman, D., & Moorthy, V. (2023). “Every day is earth day: Evidence on the long-term impact of environmental activism”. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 15(1), 230-258. https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20210045
Heydari, M. (2024). “Explanation Dimensions of knowledge of Environmental, Mind feeling Attachment Behaviors of Environmentalist (Case study: Mountain of Darakeh)”, Journal of Environmental Studies, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, 8(27), 21-32 [In Persian]. http://www.ensd.ir/post.aspx?id=869
Hasanidarmian, G., Sayar Khalaj, H., & Fatemi Khesal, M. (2021).“Investigating responsibly environmental behaviors with emphasis on connectedness with nature (Case study: high school students in Tehran)”. Sustainable Development of Geographical Environment, 3(5), 1-17. [In Persian]. https://doi.org/10.52547/sdge.3.5.1
 Hejazi, S. Y., Karami Darabkhani, R., Hosseini, S. M., & Rezaei, A. (2017). “Investigating Factors Affecting the Environmental Behavior of Members of Environmental Organizations of Tehran Province”. Journal of Environmental Studies, 43(1), 17-30. [In Persian]. https://doi.org/10.22059/jes.2017.62057
Hemmati, Z., & Shobeiri, S. M. (2016). “Environmental Culture and the Factors Affecting It (Case Study: The Citizens of Shiraz City)”. Journal of Iranian Cultural Research, 8(4), 197-215. [In Persian]. https://doi.org/10.7508/ijcr.2015.32.008
Hajizadeh meymandi, M., sayarkhalaj, H., & shokohifar, K. (2015). “Cultural and Environmental Factors Among Residents in Yazd”. Journal of Studies of Socio-Cultural Development, 3(3), 9-32. [In Persian]. http://journals.sabz.ac.ir/scds/article-1-171-fa.html
Husted, B. W., Russo, M. V., Meza, C. E. B., & Tilleman, S. G. (2014). “An exploratory study of environmental attitudes and the willingness to pay for environmental certification in Mexico”. Journal of Business Research, 67(5), 891-899. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2013.07.008
He, H. A., & Greenberg, S. (2008). “Motivating sustainable energy consumption in the home”. In ACM CSCW Workshop on Designing for Families. (Workshop held at the ACM CSCW Conference), November. Also as Technical Report 2008-914-27, Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4. September.
Isaac-Marquez, R., Salavarría García, O., Eastmond Spencer, A., Ayala Arcipreste, M., Arteaga Aguilar, M., Isaac-Márquez, A., Sandoval Valladares, J. L., Manzanero Acevedo, L. A., & Manzanero Acevedo, L. (2011). “Environmental culture in high-school students. Case study of environmental education at the high-school level in campeche”. Revista electronica de investigacion educativa, 13(2), 1-17.
Joslyn, C., & Rocha, L. (2000). “Towards semiotic agent-based models of socio-technical organizations”. In Proc. AI, Simulation and Planning in High Autonomy Systems (AIS 2000) Conference, Tucson, Arizona (pp. 70-79).
Kazemi Saraskanrood, Z., Shirkhodaie, M., & Yahyazadehfar, M. (2023). “Providing a Pattern of Environmental Behavior Affectivity of Environmental Campaigns with a Systematic Review Strategy”. New Marketing Research Journal, 13(3), 159-186‏. [In Persian].           https://doi.org/10.22108/nmrj.2024.139893.2992
Kountouris, Y. (2022). “Awareness days and environmental attitudes: The case of the “Earth Hour”. Ecological Economics, 195, 107367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107367
Kuo, H. M., Su, J. Y., Wang, C. H., Kiatsakared, P., & Chen, K. Y. (2021). “Place attachment and environmentally responsible behavior: The mediating role of destination psychological ownership”. Sustainability, 13(12), 6809. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126809
Lamino Jaramillo, P., Tabora-Sarmiento, S., Millares-Forno, C., & Boren-Alpízar, A. E. (2023). “The Theory of Reasoned Action as a predictor of environmental behavior: A cross-cultural comparison between college students from Texas, Louisiana, and Honduras”. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 33(4), 521-536. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2022.2072040
Leonidou, C. N., Gruber, V., & Schlegelmilch, B. B. (2022). “Consumers’ environmental sustainability beliefs and activism: A cross-cultural examination”. Journal of International Marketing, 30(4), 78-104. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069031X221128786
Li S., Chen F., Gu X. (2022). “Effects of Group Emotion and Moral Belief on Pro-Environmental Behavior: The Mediating Role of Psychological Clustering”. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 19(18): 11190. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811190
Masoudi, M., Salajegheh, S., & Jalalkamali, M. (2022). “Investigating the relationship between environmental behavior and citizens' social responsibility(Case study of Sirjan)”. Geography, 20(72), 171-186. [In Persian]. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/http://dor.net/dor/20.1001.1.27833739.1401.20.72.10.6
Madani, K. (2014). “Water management in Iran: what is causing the looming crisis?”. Journal of environmental studies and sciences, 4, 315-328. [In Persian]. https://doi.org/10.1007/S13412-014-0182-Z
Metcalf, Ashley. (2012). Green Culture: The impact of employee environmental culture. Conference: Southeast Decision Sciences Institute. Moore School of Business University of South Carolina, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.2455.1929
Mehmetoglu, M. (2010). “Factors influencing the willingness to behave environmentally friendly at home and holiday settings”. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 10(4), 430-447. https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2010.520861
Negahdari, D., Poursaeed, A., Eshraghi Samani, R., Arayesh, M., & Naseri, B. (2023). “The application of planned behavior theory in explaining environmental behavior of villagers of Ilam province in protection of oak forests in South Zagros”. Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research, 54(4), 809-831. [In Persian]. https://doi.org/10.22059/ijaedr.2023.350774.669189
Nazari, E., & Jalili Sadrabad. S. (2020). “The effect of satisfaction on behavioral intentions of pro-environmental tourists (Case Study: Taq Bostan Kermanshah)”. Geography, 18(64), 120-132 [In Persian]‏. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.27172996.1399.18.1.9.4
Outhwaite, W.,&  Batamore, T. (2013). “The Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Social Sciences”, translated by Hassan Chavoshian, Tehran: Ney Publishing House, first edition [In Persian]. https://nashreney.com/product.
Osbaldiston, R., & Schott, J. P. (2012). “Environmental sustainability and behavioral science: Meta-analysis of proenvironmental behavior experiments”. Environment and behavior, 44(2), 257-299. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916511402673
Powell, R. B., & Ham, S. H. (2008). “Can ecotourism interpretation really lead to pro-conservation knowledge, attitudes and behaviour? Evidence from the Galapagos Islands”. Journal of sustainable tourism, 16(4), 467-489.         https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580802154223
Rezadoost, K., Navah, A., Boudaghi, A., & Alidadi, N. (2023). “Social determinants of responsible environmental behavior (Case of study: Citizens of Shush) with an emphasis on KAP model”. Urban Sociological Studies, 46 (13),1-30 [In Persian]. https://doi.org/10.30495/uss.2023.703051
Rezaei, M., & Shobeiri, S. M. (2017). The Effect of Social Networks Usage on the Promotion of Pro-environmental behavior in Tourism (Case Study: Telegram Social Network). Journal of Tourism Planning and Development, 6(21), 28-53. https://doi.org/10.22080/jtpd.2017.1527
Rezaian, A. (2005). “Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior”, Tehran: Samt Publications. [In Persian].       https://samta.samt.ac.ir/product/9686
Rodgers, B. L. (1989). “Concepts, analysis and the development of nursing knowledge: the evolutionary cycle”. Journal of advanced nursing, 14(4), 330-335. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.1989.tb03420.x
Safa, L., & Mohamadian Saghinsara, V. (2020). “Factors Determining the Pro-Environmental Behaviours in the Rural Regions of Tabriz County”. Environmental Education and Sustainable Development, 8(3), 97-116. [In Persian].       https://doi.org/10.30473/ee.2020.6766
Soleimanpouromran, M., Alidadiyani, F., & Sodagar, H.R. (2017). “Environment, Politics and Globalization A Historical Review on Environmental Theories”, Journal of Environment and Interdisciplinary Development, 2(58), 43-56 [In Persian].          https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.29809088.1396.2.58.4.1
Soleimanpouromran, M.,& Yarmohammadian, M.H. (2015). “Environmental Education Towards an Integrated Curriculum”. Qaemshahr: Mehr-e-Nabi Publications. [In Persian]. https://ketab. ir/book/02ac0425-a5cb-47a9-9567-df4882aabcb7
Schumacher, Ingmar. (2013). “The Endogenous Formation of an Environmental Culture,” CEEES Paper Series CE3S-04/13, European University at St. Petersburg, Department of Economics.
Tavakolaghayarihir, H., Alizadehaghdam, M., & Honarvar, H. (2016). “The relationship between Environmental literacy and Responsible-Sustainable Consumption (The Case of Urmia Citizens)”. Journals of Environmental Education and Sustainable Development, 5(1), 53-65. [In Persian]. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.23223057.1395.5.1.4.9
Shahnoshi, M., & Abdollahi, A. Al-S. (2007). “An analysis of the environmental culture of the people of Isfahan and some of the factors affecting it”. Isfahan University Humanities Research Journal, -(2 (23) (Special Social Sciences)). [In Persian]. https://www.magiran.com/p462349
Taskin, O. (2009). “The environmental attitudes of Turkish senior high school students in the context of postmaterialism and the new environmental paradigm”. International Journal of Science Education, 31(4), 481-502. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500690701691689
Tohme, Georges (2002). “Cultural Development and the Environment. Translated by Mahmoud Sharepour”. Tehran: Ghazal Baz [In Persian]. https://www.gisoom.com/book / 1195489/
Wittenberg, I., Fleury-Bahi, G., & Navarro, O. (2023). “Environmental attitudes in context: conceptualisations, measurements and related factors of environmental attitudes”. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1219471. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219471
Wierzbinski, B., Surmacz, T., Kuzniar, W., & Witek, L. (2021). “The role of the ecological awareness and the influence on food preferences in shaping pro-ecological behavior of young consumers”. Agriculture, 11(4), 345. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11040345
Zare, B., Niazi, A., Habibpour, K., & Karami, N. (2020). “Meta-analysis of influential factors on environmental behaviors among citizens”. Social Problems of Iran. 11(1), 281-297. [In Persian].         https://www.magiran.com/p2225158