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Ecological discourse as a new indicator for improving individual ecological behaviour in environmental protection: an ecolinguistic continuum perspective

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Abstract

This paper explores the path from ecological discourse (ED) to ecological behaviour (EB) in environmental protection from the perspective of the ecolinguistic continuum. ED (i.e. beneficial and destructive discourse) is taken as a new indicator for improving individual EB in environmental protection. Based on the questionnaire survey data of 992 participants from 27 (79.4%) provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China, a tentative structural equation model (SEM) is established consisting of ED, ecological values (EV), ecological intention (EI), and EB. Through the path analysis (mediating and moderating effect test) by AMOS 23.0 software, the results show that ED cannot directly affect EB, which may be mediated by EV or EI, or both of the two, but the probability of an individual’s ecological practice will be increased by the influence of beneficial ED as input. Furthermore, under the moderating of ED, the probability of transforming EI into EB is greater than that of EV, suggesting that ED has a bigger voice in EI→EB, and a positive and significant moderating effect of beneficial discourse is tested. Thus, ED as an indicator provides a new perspective on environmental protection and sustainable development. Potential applications for this indicator are also included.

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Funding

This research was funded by the Higher Education Teaching Research and Reform/Quality Project of Guangdong (Grant Number YJG21-29-78) and South China Agricultural University (Grant Numbers HNJG21018/ZLGC21010), and the Science and Technology Development Center of the Ministry of Education, China (Grant Number 2021BCI01001).

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  1. School of Foreign Studies, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China

    Weiwei Zhang & Hao-Zhang Xiao

  2. Center for Ecolinguistics, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China

    Hao-Zhang Xiao

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  1. Weiwei Zhang
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Appendix 1

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Table 4 Questionnaire items for the participants
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Zhang, W., Xiao, HZ. Ecological discourse as a new indicator for improving individual ecological behaviour in environmental protection: an ecolinguistic continuum perspective. Environ Dev Sustain 26, 9069–9087 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-03082-7

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