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The Impact of Environmental Communication on Consumer Behavior: The Mediating Role of Ascription of Responsibility and Attitude

The current study aims to examine the effect of environmental communication on promoting pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) in the Egyptian society. The study also tests the mediating roles of ascription of responsibility and attitude toward pro-environmental behavior on the examined relationship. A...

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Main Author: El-Maghraby, Nada Hussam
Format: Thesis
Published: AUC Knowledge Fountain 2026
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access_status_str Open Access
author El-Maghraby, Nada Hussam
author_browse El-Maghraby, Nada Hussam
author_facet El-Maghraby, Nada Hussam
author_sort El-Maghraby, Nada Hussam
collection Thesis
description The current study aims to examine the effect of environmental communication on promoting pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) in the Egyptian society. The study also tests the mediating roles of ascription of responsibility and attitude toward pro-environmental behavior on the examined relationship. Another aim of the study is to explore intention as a mediator in the relationship between attitude toward pro-environmental behavior and behavior. The research is based on the Norm Activation Theory (NAT) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A mixed-methods approach was implemented in this study. Quantitatively, a survey was conducted, and 406 responses were collected using convenience sampling method. In parallel, in-depth interviews were held to provide qualitative perspectives that complement the survey results. The findings reveal that environmental communication, which includes two dimensions, media exposure and word-of-mouth (WOM), significantly affects pro-environmental behavior directly and indirectly through ascription of responsibility and attitude toward pro-environmental behavior. The findings also indicate that attitude toward pro-environmental behavior has both a direct effect on pro- environmental behavior and an indirect effect mediated by intention. Age, level of education, and gender moderate the relationship between attitude toward pro-environmental behavior and pro-environmental behavior. Insights from the in-depth interviews confirm that environmental communication is one of the main contributors to engagement in pro- environmental behavior. In addition to presenting theoretical implications, the current study proposes practical implications for the public and private sector, NGOs, educators, and communication professionals in order to enhance environmental communication efforts in Egypt and promote pro-environmental behaviors.
format Thesis
id oai:fount.aucegypt.edu:etds-3762
institution American University in Cairo (Egypt)
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:36:03.647Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from AUC Knowledge Fountain — bepress
publishDate 2026
publishDateRange 2026
publishDateSort 2026
publisher AUC Knowledge Fountain
publisherStr AUC Knowledge Fountain
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source_str AUC Knowledge Fountain — bepress
spelling oai:fount.aucegypt.edu:etds-3762 The Impact of Environmental Communication on Consumer Behavior: The Mediating Role of Ascription of Responsibility and Attitude El-Maghraby, Nada Hussam The current study aims to examine the effect of environmental communication on promoting pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) in the Egyptian society. The study also tests the mediating roles of ascription of responsibility and attitude toward pro-environmental behavior on the examined relationship. Another aim of the study is to explore intention as a mediator in the relationship between attitude toward pro-environmental behavior and behavior. The research is based on the Norm Activation Theory (NAT) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A mixed-methods approach was implemented in this study. Quantitatively, a survey was conducted, and 406 responses were collected using convenience sampling method. In parallel, in-depth interviews were held to provide qualitative perspectives that complement the survey results. The findings reveal that environmental communication, which includes two dimensions, media exposure and word-of-mouth (WOM), significantly affects pro-environmental behavior directly and indirectly through ascription of responsibility and attitude toward pro-environmental behavior. The findings also indicate that attitude toward pro-environmental behavior has both a direct effect on pro- environmental behavior and an indirect effect mediated by intention. Age, level of education, and gender moderate the relationship between attitude toward pro-environmental behavior and pro-environmental behavior. Insights from the in-depth interviews confirm that environmental communication is one of the main contributors to engagement in pro- environmental behavior. In addition to presenting theoretical implications, the current study proposes practical implications for the public and private sector, NGOs, educators, and communication professionals in order to enhance environmental communication efforts in Egypt and promote pro-environmental behaviors. 2026-02-15T08:00:00Z thesis application/pdf https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/2690 https://fount.aucegypt.edu/context/etds/article/3762/viewcontent/nada_hussam_elmaghraby_thesis.pdf Theses and Dissertations AUC Knowledge Fountain Environmental communication Ascription of responsibility Attitude Intention Pro-environmental behavior Egyptian society
spellingShingle Environmental communication
Ascription of responsibility
Attitude
Intention
Pro-environmental behavior
Egyptian society
El-Maghraby, Nada Hussam
The Impact of Environmental Communication on Consumer Behavior: The Mediating Role of Ascription of Responsibility and Attitude
title The Impact of Environmental Communication on Consumer Behavior: The Mediating Role of Ascription of Responsibility and Attitude
title_full The Impact of Environmental Communication on Consumer Behavior: The Mediating Role of Ascription of Responsibility and Attitude
title_fullStr The Impact of Environmental Communication on Consumer Behavior: The Mediating Role of Ascription of Responsibility and Attitude
title_full_unstemmed The Impact of Environmental Communication on Consumer Behavior: The Mediating Role of Ascription of Responsibility and Attitude
title_short The Impact of Environmental Communication on Consumer Behavior: The Mediating Role of Ascription of Responsibility and Attitude
title_sort impact of environmental communication on consumer behavior the mediating role of ascription of responsibility and attitude
topic Environmental communication
Ascription of responsibility
Attitude
Intention
Pro-environmental behavior
Egyptian society
url https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/2690
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/context/etds/article/3762/viewcontent/nada_hussam_elmaghraby_thesis.pdf
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