Identification of Social and psychological Factors Influencing Household Water Consumption in Tehran

Document Type : Applied Article

Authors

Majid Ramshini ¹

Bahman Hajipour ²

¹ Department of Business management, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

² Department of Business management, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/jwsd.v12i3.2505-1424

Abstract

Water scarcity in Tehran, within Iran's arid and semi-arid climate, has become a lasting crisis, with domestic water consumption trends indicating a potential annual deficit. Traditional solutions like dam construction and new water source extraction are increasingly inadequate. Consequently, researchers focus on altering consumer behavior through innovative strategies such as social marketing. This study employs the SHIFT theory, a modern behavioral change model for sustainability, to create a tool that identifies factors influencing household water consumption. The core dimensions of the SHIFT theory provide a framework for understanding sustainable behavior determinants. In the initial phase, a questionnaire was developed based on SHIFT theory variables, and content validity was evaluated by 14 experts from the water sector and academia. The second phase involved pre-testing and refining the questionnaire using responses from 135 domestic water consumers. After adjustments, the final questionnaire was distributed online, collecting 1,019 responses, 924 from Tehran residents. Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis was performed using SmartPLS3 software. Results showed that emotions and descriptive norms significantly influence household water consumption behaviors. In particular, negative emotions associated with high water usage and the observed consumption behaviors of others were strong determinants of individual water use.

Keywords

SHIFT Model

Sustainable Behavior

Consumer Behavior

Household Water Use

Policy Making

Subjects

• Water Management and Economy

---

References

درگاه الکترونیکی سازمان مدیریت و برنامه‌ریزی استان تهران. (1404). سامانه اطلاعات آماری استان تهران. برگرفته از https://amar.thmporg.ir

سجادی‌فر، سیدحسین، رامشینی، مجید، طلایی، محمد و معتبر، سهیل. (1403). آن‌چه در بحران آبی تهران گذشت، درس‌آموخته‌های شرکت آب و فاضلاب استان تهران در سال آبی 1402-1401. انتشارات آرویج ایرانیان. برگرفته از http://opac.nlai.ir/opac-prod/bibliographic/9689504

درگاه الکترونیکی شرکت آب و فاضلاب استان تهران. (1400). عبور از بحران آب با اجرای سیاست‌های مدیریت تقاضا. کد خبر: 34304. برگرفته از https://www.tpww.ir/fa/news/34304

درگاه الکترونیکی شرکت آب و فاضلاب استان تهران. (1404). کم‌بارش‌ترین دوره ۶۰ سال اخیر را تجربه می‌کنیم. کد خبر: 40519 برگرفته از https://www.tpww.ir/fa/news/40519

درگاه الکترونیکی شرکت آب منطقه‌ای تهران. (1404 الف). ضرورت استفاده از ظرفیت ائمه جمعه در راستای نهادینه کردن فرهنگ صحیح مصرف آب. کدخبر: 7329. برگرفته از https://thrw.ir/cs/News/118/7329

درگاه الکترونیکی شرکت آب منطقه‌ای تهران. (1404 ب). تکذیب شایعه پرآبی سدها/ واقعیت سدها با آنچه در فضای مجازی می‌شنوید متفاوت است. کد خبر: 7323. برگرفته از https://thrw.ir/cs/News/118/7323

درگاه الکترونیکی شرکت مهندسی آب و فاضلاب کشور. (1404). فرهنگ صرفه‌جویی در مصرف آب علاوه بر وظیفه دینی باید به یک وظیفه ملی تبدیل شود. کد خبر: 98387. برگرفته از https://news.nww.ir/archive/ID/98387

درگاه الکترونیکی شرکت مدیریت‌منابع‌آب‌ایران. (1401). گزارش سیمای عمومی منابع آب کشور و ضرورت مدیریت منابع و مصارف. تهران، ایران. برگرفته از https://data.wrm.ir/cs/News/101/49976

Addo, I. B., Thoms, M. C., & Parsons, M. (2018). Household water use and conservation behavior: A meta‐analysis. Water resources research, 54(10), 8381-8400. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018WR023306

Aitken, C. K., McMahon, T. A., Wearing, A. J., & Finlayson, B. L. (1994). Residential water use: Predicting and reducing consumption 1. Journal of applied social psychology, 24(2), 136-158. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1994.tb00562.x

Aknin, L. B., Dunn, E. W., Whillans, A. V., Grant, A. M., & Norton, M. I. (2013). Making a difference matters: Impact unlocks the emotional benefits of prosocial spending. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 88, 90-95.

Andreasen, A. R. (2002). Marketing social marketing in the social change marketplace. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 21(1), 3-13. https://doi.org/10.1509/jppm.21.1.3.17602

Beal, C. D., Stewart, R. A., & Fielding, K. (2013). A novel mixed method smart metering approach to reconciling differences between perceived and actual residential end use water consumption. Journal of Cleaner Production, 60, 116-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.09.007

Bidhendi, G. N., Nasrabadi, T., Vaghefi, H. R. S., Hoveidi, H., & Jafari, H. R. (2008). Role of water-saving devices in reducing urban water consumption in the mega-city of Tehran, case study: a residential complex. Journal of environmental health, 70(8), 44-47. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26327598

Boivin, M., Gagné, E., & Champagne Saint-Arnaud, V. (2017). Using segmentation and theory to design better promotion and prevention campaigns: A recyc-québec case study. Segmentation in social marketing: Process, methods and application, 179-195. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1835-0_12

Carney, J. (2015). Nudging occupant behavior-cultivating positive associations between comfort, health, and bulding efficiency actions with the denver housing authority. Journal of Green Building, 10(1), 68-84. https://doi.org/10.3992/jgb.10.1.68

Chin, W. W. (1998). Commentary: Issues and opinion on structural equation modeling. In (pp. vii-xvi): JSTOR.

Corbett, J. B. (2005). Altruism, self-interest, and the reasonable person model of environmentally responsible behavior. Science communication, 26(4), 368-389.

Davis, L. L. (1992). Instrument review: Getting the most from a panel of experts. Applied nursing research, 5(4), 194-197. https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547005275425

de Miranda Coelho, J. A. P., Gouveia, V. V., de Souza, G. H. S., Milfont, T. L., & Barros, B. N. R. (2016). Emotions toward water consumption: Conservation and wastage. Revista Latinoamericana de Psicología, 48(2), 117-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rlp.2015.09.006

Dilotsotlhe, N., & Duh, H. I. (2021). Drivers of middle-class consumers’ green appliance attitude and purchase behavior: A multi-theory application. Social Marketing Quarterly, 27(2), 150-171. https://doi.org/10.1177/15245004211013737

Feizi, M., & Khatabiroudi, N. (2023). Social and environmental nudges and water usage: Evidence from a field experiment in Iran. Water Resources and Economics, 42, 100223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wre.2023.100223

Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journalof Marketing Research, v. 18, n. 1. In. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104

French, J., & Blair-Stevens, C. (2006). Social marketing national benchmark criteria. UK: National Social Marketing Centre.

Fries, S., Cook, J., & Lynes, J. K. (2020). Community-based social marketing in theory and practice: Five case studies of water efficiency programs in Canada. Social Marketing Quarterly, 26(4), 325-344. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500420971170

Geisser, S. (1975). The predictive sample reuse method with applications. Journal of the American statistical Association, 70(350), 320-328. https://doi.org/10.1080/01621459.1975.10479865

Gregory, G. D., & Leo, M. D. (2003). Repeated behavior and environmental psychology: the role of personal involvement and habit formation in explaining water consumption 1. Journal of applied social psychology, 33(6), 1261-1296. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2003.tb01949.x

Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sinkovics, R. R. (2009). The use of partial least squares path modeling in international marketing. In R. R. Sinkovics & P. N. Ghauri (Eds.), New challenges to international marketing (Vol. 20, pp. 277–319). Bingley, United Kingdom: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1474-7979(2009)0000020014

Hodges, H., Kuehl, C., Anderson, S. E., Ehret, P. J., & Brick, C. (2020). How managers can reduce household water use through communication: A field experiment. Journal of policy analysis and management, 39(4), 1076-1099. https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.22246

Hulland, J. (1999). Use of partial least squares (PLS) in strategic management research: A review of four recent studies. Strategic management journal, 20(2), 195-204. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0266(199902)20:2%3C195::AID-SMJ13%3E3.0.CO;2-7

Ibrahim, A., Knox, K., Rundle-Thiele, S., & Arli, D. (2018). Segmenting a Water Use Market: Theory of Interpersonal Behavior Insights. Social Marketing Quarterly, 24(1), 3-17. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500417741277

Jorgensen, B., Graymore, M., & O'Toole, K. (2009). Household water use behavior: An integrated model. Journal of environmental management, 91(1), 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2009.08.009

Kitunen, A., Rundle-Thiele, S., Carins, J., & Deshpande, S. (2023). Can Motivation, Opportunity and Ability Theory Informed Segments Be Validated in the Australian Defence Force?. Social Marketing Quarterly, 29(2), 127-144. https://doi.org/10.1177/15245004231173194

Kotler, P., & Zaltman, G. (1971). Social marketing: an approach to planned social change. Journal of Marketing, 35(3), 3-12. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224297103500302

Lowe, B., Lynch, D., & Lowe, J. (2015). Reducing household water consumption: a social marketing approach. Journal of marketing management, 31(3-4), 378-408. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2014.971044

Lynn, M. R. (1986). Determination and quantification of content validity. Nursing research, 35(6), 382-386. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006199-198611000-00017

Madias, K., & Szymkowiak, A. (2022). Residential sustainable water usage and water management: Systematic review and future research. Water, 14(7), 1027. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14071027

Mazyaki, A., Sajadifar, S., & Bagheri, M. (2022). Role of Urban Water Pricing in Groundwater Depletion: Lessons from Covid-19 Outbreak in Tehran. Available at SSRN 4273345. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4273345

McDougall, G. H., & Snetsinger, D. W. (1990). The Intangibility of Services: Measurement and CompetitivePerspectives. Journal of Services Marketing, 4(4), 27-40. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000002523

Mitra, S., & Sameer, A. (2022). Storytelling for behavior change: Use of folktales for promoting sustainable behaviors. Problemy Ekorozwoju, 17(2), 77–85. https://doi.org/10.35784/pe.2022.2.09

Monaghan, P., Ott, E., Wilber, W., Gouldthorpe, J., & Racevskis, L. (2013). Defining audience segments for extension programming using reported water conservation practices. The Journal of Extension, 51(6), 8. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.51.06.08

Phipps, M., & Brace-Govan, J. (2011). From right to responsibility: Sustainable change in water consumption. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 30(2), 203-219. https://doi.org/10.1509/jppm.30.2.203

Piff, P. K., Dietze, P., Feinberg, M., Stancato, D. M., & Keltner, D. (2015). Awe, the small self, and prosocial behavior. Journal of personality and social psychology, 108(6), 883. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/pspi0000018

Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2006). The content validity index: are you sure you know what's being reported? Critique and recommendations. Research in nursing & health, 29(5), 489-497. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.20147

Rhodes, R. E., & Courneya, K. S. (2003). Investigating multiple components of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived control: An examination of the theory of planned behaviour in the exercise domain. British journal of social psychology, 42(1), 129-146. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466603763276162

Ripple, W. J., Wolf, C., Newsome, T. M., Galetti, M., Alamgir, M., Crist, E., Mahmoud, M. I., Laurance, W. F., & 15, s. s. f. c. (2017). World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice. BioScience, 67(12), 1026-1028. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/bix125

Rivard, S., & Huff, S. L. (1988). Factors of success for end-user computing. Communications of the ACM, 31(5), 552-561. https://doi.org/10.1145/42411.42418

Rundle-Thiele, S., Kubacki, K., Tkaczynski, A., & Parkinson, J. (2015). Using two-step cluster analysis to identify homogeneous physical activity groups. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 33(4), 522-537. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-03-2014-0050

Savari, M., Abdeshahi, A., Gharechaee, H., & Nasrollahian, O. (2021). Explaining farmers’ response to water crisis through theory of the norm activation model: Evidence from Iran. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 60, 102284.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102284

Schuster, L., Kubacki, K., & Rundle-Thiele, S. (2015). A theoretical approach to segmenting children’s walking behaviour. Young consumers, 16(2), 159-171. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-07-2014-00461

Sharma, P., Kaur, L., Mittal, R., Kaur, S., & Kaur, S. (2019). Social marketing approach to bring change in water use behaviour of rural people of Punjab, India. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 10(4), 968-976. https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2018.150

Stone, M. (1974). Cross‐validatory choice and assessment of statistical predictions. Journal of the royal statistical society: Series B (Methodological), 36(2), 111-133. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2517-6161.1974.tb00994.x

Strengers, Y. (2011). Negotiating everyday life: The role of energy and water consumption feedback. Journal of Consumer Culture, 11(3), 319-338. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469540511417994

Sutton, R. I., & Staw, B. M. (1995). What theory is not. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40(3), 371–384. https://doi.org/10.2307/2393788

Thøgersen, J., & Grønhøj, A. (2010). Electricity saving in households—A social cognitive approach. Energy Policy, 38(12), 7732-7743. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2010.08.025

Tiefenbeck, V., Goette, L., Degen, K., Tasic, V., Fleisch, E., Lalive, R., & Staake, T. (2018). Overcoming salience bias: How real-time feedback fosters resource conservation. Management science, 64(3), 1458-1476. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2016.2646

Waltz, C. F., & Bausell, B. R. (1981). Nursing research: design statistics and computer analysis. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis Company.

Waltz, C. F., Strickland, O. L., & Lenz, E. R. (2005). Measurement in nursing and health research (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

Warner, L. A. (2019). Using homeowners’ association membership to define audience segments for targeted local social marketing interventions: Implications from a statewide study. Social Marketing Quarterly, 25(4), 291-307. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500419882978

Warner, L. A., Diaz, J. M., & Dukes, M. D. (2022). Selecting high-impact landscape irrigation conservation behaviors: Formative research to inform behavior-change efforts. Social Marketing Quarterly, 28(1), 28-43. https://doi.org/10.1177/15245004211071057

Wells, V. K., Taheri, B., Gregory-Smith, D., & Manika, D.(2016). The role of generativity and attitudes on employees home and workplace water and energy saving behaviours. Tourism Management, 56, 63-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2016.03.027

White, K., Habib, R., & Hardisty, D. J. (2019). How to SHIFT consumer behaviors to be more sustainable: A literature review and guiding framework. Journal of Marketing, 83(3), 22-49. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022242919825649

White, K., & Simpson, B. (2013). When do (and don't) normative appeals influence sustainable consumer behaviors? Journal of Marketing, 77(2), 78-95. https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.11.0278

Whitmarsh, L., & O'Neill, S.(2010). Green identity, green living? The role of pro-environmental self-identity in determining consistency across diverse pro-environmental behaviours. Journal of environmental psychology, 30(3), 305-314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.01.003

World Bank. (2018). The water-energy-food nexus in the Middle East and North Africa: Scenarios for a sustainable future. Washington, D.C., United States: World Bank Group.

Yazdanpanah, M., Feyzabad, F. R., Forouzani, M., Mohammadzadeh, S., & Burton, R. J. (2015). Predicting farmers’ water conservation goals and behavior in Iran: A test of social cognitive theory. Land use policy, 47, 401-407. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2015.04.022