A Process-Oriented Model of Sustainable Development Behavior
John Spillan ORCID ↗ · Xin Liu ORCID ↗
International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science · 2026 · Vol. 15 / Issue 5 · 319-329
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Abstract
The successful achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) largely depends on human behavior. Will people act sustainably when they consume, work, travel, or simply go about their lives? Only if the answer is yes can we truly make progress toward sustainability. Research into what influences SDG-supportive behavior has identified several factors. However, some studies emphasize knowledge, others highlight economic barriers, and still others focus on traits and psychological factors—rarely all at once. In this paper, we aim to broaden this perspective. By reviewing multiple sources, we develop and empirically test a comprehensive model of sustainable behavior. We propose that awareness of sustainability issues influences how individuals interpret and understand societal challenges. At the same time, a person’s motivational orientation will determine whether they internalize sustainability values as their own beliefs and develop positive attitudes toward the SDGs. Nonetheless, even if individuals strongly believe in sustainability, their actions also depend on other factors. Using data from the Japan Household Panel Survey on Sustainable Development Goals, this study constructs psychometric measures and creates a nomological framework to examine the mechanisms behind the formation of sustainability behavior. The findings suggest that prosocial peace orientation and awareness of sustainability issues positively influence sustainability values and attitudes, which, in turn, shape sustainability behaviors.
Keywords: {'name': 'Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); sustainability behaviors; pro-environmental actions; the value–attitude–behavior (VAB) model; the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB); social cognitive theory (SCT); awareness of sustainability issues; psychological orientation; economic constraints; sustainable behaviors'}
Authors & affiliations
John Spillan
University of North Carolina
Xin Liu
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
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