Abstract
Despite the fact that more and more researchers have devoted themselves to recycling studies in varied settings, virtually no research has been conducted to study the causal relationships between intrinsic satisfaction and individual recycling behavior in office settings. In addition, little research has tried to explore whether there is only one index of intrinsic satisfaction or several distinct indices. This paper examines the dimensionality of intrinsic satisfaction. It also explores the causal relationships between intrinsic satisfaction and office recycling behavior. Data from field surveys conducted in 32 different organizations in Taiwan were analyzed. The findings indicate that there are at least two distinct factors regarding intrinsic satisfaction — participation and frugality. These data suggest that intrinsic satisfaction can be derived from office recycling activities, not only being predictors of office recycling behavior.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Burn, S. M. and S. Oskamp: 1986, ‘Increasing community recycling with persuasive communication and public commitment’, Journal of Applied Social Psychology 16, pp. 29–41.
Cantril, H.: 1966, The Human Design, in The Pattern of Human Concerns (Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick).
Cone, J. D. and S. C. Hayes: 1980, Environmental Problems/Behavioral Solutions (Brooks/Cole, Monterey).
De Young, R.: 1985–1986, ‘Encouraging environmentally appropriate behavior: The role of intrinsic motivation’, Journal of Environmental Systems 15, pp. 281–292.
De Young, R.: 1986, ‘Some psychological aspects of recycling: The structure of conservation satisfactions’, Environment and Behavior 18, pp. 435–449.
De Young, R.: 1990, ‘Recycling as appropriate behavior: A review of survey data from selected recycling education programs in Michigan’, Resources, Conservation, and Recycling 3, pp. 253–266.
Geller, E. S., R. A. Winett, and P. B. Everett: 1982, Preserving the Environment: New Strategies for Behavioral Change (Pergamon, New York).
Gray, D. B.: 1985, Ecological Beliefs and Behaviors: Assessment and Change (Greenwood Press, Westport).
Harrison, B. W.: 1982, Socially Responsive Professional Behavior of Architectural Firms: A Social Psychological Perspective (Unpublished dissertation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor).
Hoelter, J. W.: 1983, ‘The analysis of covariance structures: Goodness-of-fit indices’, Sociological and Methods and Research 11, pp. 325–344.
Jacobs, H. E. and J. S. Bailey: 1982–1983, ‘Evaluating participation in a residential recycling program’, Journal of Environmental Systems 12, pp. 141–152.
Joreskog, K. G. and D. Sorbom: 1986, LISREL VI: User's Guide (Scientific Software, Mooresville).
Kaplan, S.: 1990, ‘Being needed, adaptive muddling and human-environment relationships’, in R. I. Selby, K. H. Anthony, J. Choi, and B. Orland (eds.), EDRA 21 (Environmental Design Research Association, Oklahoma City).
Kaplan R. and S. Kaplan: 1989, The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective (Cambridge University Press, New York).
Kaplan S. and R. Kaplan: 1982, Cognition and Environment: Functioning in an Uncertain World (Praeger, New York).
Katzev, R. D.: 1989, ‘How to motivate recycling: Applying minimal justification techniques’, paper presented at The Association for Conservation Information's Winter Workshop (Arlington, VA).
Katzev, R. D. and T. R. Johnson: 1987, Social Influences (Westview, Boulder).
Long, J. S.: 1983, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (SAGE, Beverly Hills).
McClelland, L. and R. J. Canter: 1981, ‘Psychological research on energy conservation: Context, approach, methods’, in A. Baum and J. E. Singer (eds.), Advances in Environmental Psychology: Vol. 3 — Energy Conservation: Psychological Perspectives (Lawrence-Erlbaum, Hillsdale).
Midgley, M.: 1978, Beast and Man: The Roots of Human Nature (Cornell University Press, Ithaca).
Oskamp, S., M. J. Harrington, T. C. Edwards, D. L. Sherwood, S. M. Okuda, and D. C. Swanson: 1991, ‘Factors influencing household recycling behavior’, Environment and Behavior 23, pp. 494–519.
Raykov, T., A. Tomer, and J. R. Nesselroade: 1991, ‘Reporting structural equation modeling results inPsychology and Aging: Some proposed guidelines’, Psychology and Aging 6, pp. 499–503.
Reichel, D. A. and E. S. Geller: 1981, ‘Application of behavioral analysis for conserving transportation energy’, in A. Baum and J. E. Singer (eds.), Advances in Environmental Psychology: Vol. 3 — Energy Conservation: Psychological Perspectives (Lawrence-Erlbaum, Hillsdale).
Stern, P. C.: 1992, ‘What psychology knows about energy conservation’, American Psychologist (in press).
Stern, P. C. and G. T. Gardner: 1981, ‘Psychological research and energy policy’, American Psychologist 4, pp. 329–342.
Weigel, R. H.: 1983, ‘Environmental attitudes and the prediction of behavior’, in N. R. Feimer and E. S. Geller (eds.), Environmental Psychology: Directions and Perspectives (McGraw-Hill, New York).
Weigel, R. H.: 1985, ‘Ecological attitudes and actions’, in D. B. Gray (ed.), Ecological Beliefs and Behaviors: Assessment and Change (Greenwood Press, Westport).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lee, YJ., De Young, R. Intrinsic satisfaction derived from office recycling behavior: A case study in Taiwan. Soc Indic Res 31, 63–76 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01086514
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01086514