Exploring the Effect of Institutional Trust on the Relationship between Environmental Consciousness and Household Recycling Behavior

The present paper identifies environmental consciousness and institutional trust as determinants of French households’ recycling behavior. Based on Schwartz’s altruistic behavior model, the study considers environmental consciousness as a multidimensional construct that would bring a richer explanation of household recycling behavior concept. Therefore, it considers the cognitive, attitudinal and behavioral dimensions as key predictors to reflect individuals’ perceptions towards recycling. We provide an empirical illustration of the institutional trust role in the association between environmental consciousness and household recycling behavior. Based on the PLS-SEM modeling, we perform a survey among 1408 French respondents. The findings show a significant impact of the attitudinal and the behavioral dimensions on household recycling behavior. These outcomes extend the existing French households’ recycling behavior determinants’ literature. Also, institutional trust showed a significant positive direct and indirect effect (moderation) on household recycling behavior. The insignificance of the cognitive dimension has retracted some contextual insights into promoting the households’ recycling behavior in France.