The Relationship Between Locus of Control and Recycling Behavior Amongst Youth

Overview

In the field of psychology, locus of control is a commonly used term to define the degree to which individuals perceive an outcome as being influenced by external, uncontrollable factors, or their own actions and decisions. In past studies, those with external locus of control have been found to blame their environment for their failures rather than accepting responsibility. Some argue that external locus of control is used by some people to avoid responsibility and distance themselves from their misdeeds rather than making true efforts to solve a problem. This same argument could be placed on one’s attitude towards recycling and the avoidance of guilt when one does not or cannot recycle. It was hypothesized that an individual with an internal locus of control is more likely to recycle than an individual with an external locus of control. T o test this hypothesis, a 22-question survey was administered amongst an age group of 14-18 years old to identify sex, recycling frequency, recycling literacy, locus of control, and other personal characteristics/behaviors. The results found that those with a greater internal locus of control recycled more frequently (2.28x a week on average) than those with a greater external locus of control (1.02x a week on average). The results support the hypothesis and could be used to uncover methods of promoting recycling to improve the planet’s health and nation’s economy through marketing and sustainable productions of goods. FLORIDA

Competition history

• JSHS 2023 Category not listed

Resources

• National JSHS abstract book ↗

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