The moderating role of hope and self-efficacy factors in the relationship between environmental concern and behavior

The aim of the current study is to examine the moderating role of hope and self-efficacy in the relationship of environmental concern-behavior. Since the research took place at the time of the pandemic, the sample of the study consists of 375 individuals aged 18-30 who do not have high corona anxiety. The data of the research were collected with: Consent form, Demographic Information Form, Environmental Concern Scale, Environmental Behavior Scale, Integrative Hope Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Coronavirus Anxiety Scale. As a result of the statistical analyzes, it was found that there are positive and significant relationships between environmental behavior and environmental concern, self-efficacy and hope. As an outcome of the analysis based on gender, it was found that the variables of the study did not differ according to gender. When the moderating effect of hope and self-efficacy on the relationship between environmental concern and behavior was examined, it was found that both environmental concern and hope and environmental concern and self-efficacy interactions had a significant effect on environmental behavior. In other words, both self-efficacy and hope variables have a moderator role in the environmental concern-behavior relationship. However, it was found that the interaction of environmental concern and hope had a decreasing effect on environmental behavior, while the interaction of environmental concern and self-efficacy had an increasing effect on environmental behavior. The results were then discussed in the light of the relevant literature. Keywords: Environmental concern, Environmental behavior, Hope, Self-Efficacy