Does Awareness Drive Recycling? Testing the Mediating Role of Social Norms in Recycling Behavior

Abstract

Many university recycling programs assume that greater recycling knowledge leads directly to improved recycling behavior. This study examines whether Social Norms explain this relationship among 203 university students. A three-variable model was tested, with Recycling Awareness as the independent variable, Social Norms as the mediator, and Recycling Behavior as the dependent variable. Regression-based mediation analysis with bootstrap confidence intervals showed that Recycling Awareness significantly predicted Social Norms (a = 0.571, p < .001), while Social Norms significantly predicted Recycling Behavior after controlling for Awareness (b = 0.499, p < .001). The indirect effect through Social Norms was significant (effect = 0.285, 95% bootstrap CI [0.181, 0.397]), with the Sobel test also confirming mediation (z = 5.41, p < .001). Social Norms accounted for approximately 49% of the total effect. Because the direct effect remained significant (c′ = 0.302, p < .001), the findings indicate partial mediation. The results suggest that university recycling campaigns should combine awareness-building with strategies that strengthen perceptions of recycling as a normal and expected campus behavior.