Iran-Water Resources Research

Iran-Water Resources Research

Application of Social Cognitive Theory in Modeling Farmers' Behavior to Encourage Them to Choose Low-Water-Demand Cropping Patterns

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 M.Sc. Graduate, School of Civil Engineering, Colleges of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2 M.Sc. Student, School of Civil Engineering, Colleges of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
3 Ph.D., School of Civil Engineering, Colleges of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
4 Professor, School of Civil Engineering, Colleges of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Promoting the cultivation of low-water-demand crops, such as medicinal plants, instead of high-water-demand crops is one of the recommended strategies for reducing water consumption in agriculture and combating droughts. However, voluntary adoption and active participation of farmers are key to the success of such initiatives. Therefore, in promoting such behavior, it is essential to have a proper understanding of farmers' behaviors and the factors influencing them. Considering the fundamental role of environmental psychology in understanding human behavior, this article seeks to examine the socio-psychological factors that affect farmers' behavior regarding the shift in cropping patterns from high-water-demand crops to medicinal plants. In this regard, a structured questionnaire was developed based on social cognitive theory following an in-depth review of the existing literature. After confirming the content and face validity of the questionnaire by farmers and experts, as well as verifying its reliability through a pilot sample using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, the final version of the questionnaire was distributed among the target population of the study, namely farmers residing in the Sojasrood plain in Zanjan province. Ultimately, data were collected through face-to-face interviews with 184 out of approximately 400 farmers, which was adequate in comparison to research standards. Additionally, for data analysis, a structural equation modeling approach using partial least squares was employed through SmartPLS software. After confirming the measurement model through the evaluation of construct validity and reliability, which includes convergent and discriminant validity, the results of the structural model showed that social cognitive theory could predict respectively 56% and 49% of the variance in farmers' intention and behavior towards cultivating medicinal plants. Furthermore, outcome expectancies were found to be the most significant predictor of intention while intention itself emerged as the most crucial determinant of the behavior. The findings of this study not only provide valuable insights for researchers but also serve as an effective guide for policymakers in implementing more efficient policies. In this context, various strategies such as cultural promotion and education of farmers have been proposed to encourage the cultivation of medicinal plants among farmers.
Keywords

Subjects


Alam SS, Ahmad M, Ho YH, Omar NA, Lin CY (2020) Applying an extended theory of planned behavior to sustainable food consumption. Sustainability 12(20):8394
Amiri MS, Taghavizadeh Yazdi ME, Rahnama M (2021) Medicinal plants and phytotherapy in Iran: Glorious history, current status and future prospects. Plant Science Today 8(1):95–111
Arasteh S and Shoaei S (2020) An assessment of the effects of excessive groundwater abstraction on the quality of groundwater resources of the Zanjan Plain, Iran. Environmental Earth Sciences 79(23)
Ashraf S, AghaKouchak A, Nazemi A, Mirchi A, Sadegh M, Moftakhari HR, Hassanzadeh E, Miao CY, Madani K, Mousavi Baygi M, Anjileli H, Arab DR, Norouzi H, Mazdiyasni O, Azarderakhsh M, Alborzi A, Tourian MJ, Mehran A, Farahmand A, Mallakpour I (2019) Compounding effects of human activities and climatic changes on surface water availability in Iran. Climatic Change 152:379–391
Asigbaase M, Adusu D, Anaba L, Abugre S, Kang-Milung S, Acheamfour SA, Adamu I, Ackah DK (2023) Conservation and economic benefits of medicinal plants: Insights from forest-fringe communities of Southwestern Ghana. Trees, Forests and People 14:100462
Astutik S, Pretzsch J, Ndzifon KJ (2019) Asian medicinal plants’ production and utilization potentials: A review. Sustainability 11(19):5483
Ataei-Asad M and Movahedi R (2022) compare the farmers' behavior determinants on the use of fertilizers based on the theory of planned behavior and the theory of value-belief-norm. Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research. 53(4):1001-21 (In Persian)
Ataei P, Karimi H, Moradhaseli S, Babaei MH (2022) Analysis of farmers’ environmental sustainability behavior: the use of norm activation theory (a sample from Iran). Arabian Journal of Geosciences 15(9):859
Ayhan B (2020) Social cognitive theory. Consumer Behavior Models, 139–151
Bamberg S and Möser G (2007) Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford, Tomera: A new meta-analysis of psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behaviour. Journal of Environmental Psychology 27(1):14-25
Bandura A (1977) Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs
Bandura A (1986) Social foundations of thought and action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ 23-28
Bandura A (1997) Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. Macmillan
Bandura A (2004) Health promotion by social cognitive means. Health Education and Behavior 31(2):143-64
Blakely JW (2015) A survey of the influences on water conservation behavior in pickens and oconee counties. Master's thesis, Clemson University
Boazar M, Abdeshahi A, Yazdanpanah M (2020) Changing rice cropping patterns among farmers as a preventive policy to protect water resources. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 63(14):2484-2500
Boazar M, Yazdanpanah M, Abdeshahi A (2019) Response to water crisis: How do Iranian farmers think about and intent in relation to switching from rice to less water-dependent crops? Journal of Hydrology 570:523–530
Chen H, He H, You J, Xie X, Fang G, Xiao P (2023) A study on urban household water consumption behavior under drought conditions. Journal of Environmental Management 346:118963
Chen MF and Tung PJ (2014) Developing an extended theory of planned behavior model to predict consumers’ intention to visit green hotels. International Journal of Hospitality Management 36:221–230
Chen SL, Yu H, Luo HM, Wu Q, Li CF, Steinmetz A (2016) Conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants: Problems, progress, and prospects.  Chinese Medicine 11(37)
Cohen J (2013) Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Routledge
Daxini A, Ryan M, O’Donoghue C, Barnes AP (2019) Understanding farmers’ intentions to follow a nutrient management plan using the theory of planned behavior. Land Use Policy 85:428–437
Ekor M (2014) The growing use of herbal medicines: Issues relating to adverse reactions and challenges in monitoring safety. Frontiers in Pharmacology 4:177
Fornell D and Larcker C (1981) Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research 18(1):39-50
Gkargkavouzi A, Halkos G, Matsiori S (2019) Environmental behavior in a private-sphere context: integrating theories of planned behavior and value belief norm, self-identity and habit. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 148:145-56
Guo Z, Zhou K, Zhang C, Lu X, Chen W, Yang S (2018) Residential electricity consumption behavior: influencing factors, related theories and intervention strategies. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 81:399-412
Hair JF, Babin B, Black W (2010) Multivariate data analysis: A global perspective. Pearson Education
Hair JF, Hult GTM, Ringle CM (2017) A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), Second Edition. SAGE Publications
Haji L and Hayati D (2022) Analysis of internal processes of conflict behavior among Iranian rangeland exploiters: Application of environmental psychology. Frontiers in Psychology 13:957760
Hao DC and Xiao PG (2020) Pharmaceutical resource discovery from traditional medicinal plants: Pharmacophylogeny and pharmacophylogenomics. Chinese Herbal Medicines 12(2): 104-17
Hashemian M, Hosseini ZS, Joveini H, Shahrabadi R, Khosrorad R, Akbari M, Mehri A (2022) Application of the extended planned behavior theory to predict COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Health Education and Health Promotion 10(1):83-88
Hikmah N, Sarwoprasodjo S, Indraningsih KS (2023) Influences of social environment on farmers' behavioural to practice an agricultural technology, screenhouse: An application of Social Cognitive Theory. Technium Soc 46:105
Hosany S and Martin D (2012) Self-image congruence in consumer behavior. Journal of Business Research 65(5):685-91
Hou C, Wen Y, Liu X, Dong M (2020) Impacts of regional water shortage information disclosure on public acceptance of recycled water-evidences from China’s urban residents. Journal of Cleaner Production 278:123965
IRNA (2024) Planting medicinal plants, a harmless option for changing the cultivation pattern in Zanjan. IRNA (In Persian)
IRNA (2024) 125 agricultural projects will be put into operation in Zanjan Province. (In Persian)
IRNA (2015) 248 An unauthorized well was blocked in the plains of Zanjan in 2014 (In Persian)
ISANAT (2024) Investment priorities in the agricultural sector of Zanjan province. (In Persian)
Kalule SW, Sseguya H, Ongeng D, Karubanga G (2019) Social cognitive drivers of farmer learning behaviour in the student-to-farmer university outreach in Uganda. African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development 11(7):821-831
Karami R and Ahmadi N (2023) Moderating role of locus of control over health belief model: a study of horticulturists’ protective behavior. African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development 11(7):821-831
Luszczynska A, Schwarzer R (2015) Social cognitive theory. Predicting and Changing Health Behavior 225-251
Nasiri AR., Kerachian R, Mashhadi M, Shahangian SA, Zobeidi T (2024a) Extending the theory of planned behavior to predict the behavior of farmers in choosing low-water-intensive medicinal plants. Journal of Environmental Management 369:122333
Nasiri AR, Shahangian SA, Kerachian R, Zobeidi T (2024b) Exploring socio-psychological factors affecting farmers’ intention to choose a low-water-demand cropping pattern for water resources conservation: Application of the health belief model. Agricultural Water Management 295:108768
Neisi M, Bijani M, Fallah Haghighi N (2020) Social-cognitive conceptualization of students’ pro-environmental behavior in Iranian higher agricultural education system. Environmental Sciences 18(2):59-76
Newman DJ and Cragg GM (2020) Plant endophytes and epiphytes: Burgeoning sources of known and unknown cytotoxic and antibiotic agents? Planta medica 86:891–905
Organization of Agricultural Affairs (2020) Specialized agricultural statistics yearbook. Iran (In Persian)
Phipps M, Ozanne LK, Luchs MG, Subrahmanyan S, Kapitan S, Catlin JR, Gau R, Naylor RW, Rose RL, Simpson B, Weaver T (2013) Understanding the inherent complexity of sustainable consumption: A social cognitive framework. Journal of Business Research 66(8):1227-1234
Ratten V and Ratten H (2007) Technological innovations and m-Commerce applications. International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management 4(01):1-4
Rezaei-Moghaddam K, Vatankhah N, Ajili A (2020) Adoption of pro-environmental behaviors among farmers: application of Value–Belief–Norm theory. Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture 7:1-5
Safa L and Valinia S (2020) Factors affecting water resources conservation behaviors among farmers in zanjan county: An application of protection motivation theory. Iranian Agricultural Extension and Education Journal 16(1):131-150 (In Persian)
Savari M, Damaneh HE, Damaneh HE, Cotton M (2023) Integrating the norm activation model and theory of planned behaviour to investigate farmer pro-environmental behavioural intention. Scientific Reports 13(1):5584
Savari M, Gharechaee H (2020) Application of the extended theory of planned behavior to predict Iranian farmers’ intention for safe use of chemical fertilizers. Journal of Cleaner Production 263:121512
Schunk DH, Usher EL (2012) Social cognitive theory and motivation. The Oxford Handbook of Human Motivation 2:11-26
Shahangian SA, Tabesh M, Yazdanpanah M, Zobeidi T (2021a) How can socio-psychological factors be related to water-efficiency intention and behaviors among Iranian residential water consumers? Journal of Environmental Management 288:112466
Shahangian SA, Tabesh M, Yazdanpanah M (2021b) Psychosocial determinants of household adoption of water-efficiency behaviors in Tehran capital, Iran: Application of the Social Cognitive Theory, Urban Climate 39:100935
Shahangian SA, Tabesh M, Yazdanpanah M, Zobeidi T, Raoof MA (2022) Promoting the adoption of residential water conservation behaviors as a preventive policy to sustainable urban water management. Journal of Environmental Management 313:115005
Shojaei‐Miandoragh M, Bijani M, Abbasi E (2020) Farmers' resilience behaviour in the face of water scarcity in the eastern part of Lake Urmia, Iran: An environmental psychological analysis. Water and Environment Journal 34(4):611-22
Raheli H, Zarifian S, Yazdanpanah M (2020) The power of the health belief model (HBM) to predict water demand management: A case study of farmers’ water conservation in Iran. Journal of Environmental Management 263:110388
Tang J, Folmer H, Xue J (2013) Estimation of awareness and perception of water scarcity among farmers in the Guanzhong Plain, China, by means of a structural equation model. Journal of Environmental Management 126:55-62
The Spruce (2024) 35 drought-tolerant shrubs that thrive without much water or care. Retrieved from https://www.thespruce.com/drought-tolerant-shrubs-8691894
Thøgersen J and Grønhøj A (2010) Electricity saving in households-A social cognitive approach. Energy Policy 38:7732–7743
Valizadeh N, Bijani M, Hayati D, Fallah Haghighi N (2019) Social-cognitive conceptualization of Iranian farmers’ water conservation behavior. Hydrogeology Journal 27(4):1131-1142
Valizadeh N, Bijani M, Karimi H, Naeimi A, Hayati D, Azadi H (2020) The effects of farmers’ place attachment and identity on water conservation moral norms and intention. Water Research 185:116131
Valizadeh N, Jalilian S, Hallaj Z, Esfandyari Bayat S, Hayati D, Bazrafkan K, Kianmehr N, Akbari M (2023) Encouraging adoption of green manure technology to produce clean rice product. Scientific Reports 13(1):8690
Volenzo T, Odiyo J (2020) Integrating endemic medicinal plants into the global value chains: The ecological degradation challenges and opportunities. Heliyon 6(9)
Wang Y, Liang J, Yang J, Ma X, Li X, Wu J, Yang G, Ren G, Feng (2019) Y Analysis of the environmental behavior of farmers for non-point source pollution control and management: An integration of the theory of planned behavior and the protection motivation theory. Journal of Environmental Management 237:15-23
Wangchuk P, Tobgay T (2015) Contributions of medicinal plants to the gross national happiness and biodiscovery in Bhutan. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 11:1-3
Yazdanpanah M, Hayati D, Hochrainer-Stigler S, Zamani GH (2014) Understanding farmers' intention and behavior regarding water conservation in the Middle-East and North Africa: A case study in Iran. Journal of Environmental Management 135:63-72
Yazdanpanah M, Feyzabad FR, Forouzani M, Mohammadzadeh S, Burton RJ (2015) Predicting farmers’ water conservation goals and behavior in Iran: A test of social cognitive theory. Land Use Policy 47:401-407 
Yazdanpanah M, Forouzani M, Abdeshahi A, Jafari A (2016) Investigating the effect of moral norm and self-identity on the intention toward water conservation among Iranian young adults. Water Policy 18(1):73-90
Yazdanpanah M, Moghadam MT, Zobeidi T, Turetta AP, Eufemia L, Sieber S (2022) What factors contribute to conversion to organic farming? Consideration of the Health Belief Model in relation to the uptake of organic farming by Iranian farmers. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 65(5):907-929
Zahra W, Rai SN, Birla H, Singh SS, Rathore AS, Dilnashin H, Keswani C, Singh SP (2020) Economic importance of medicinal plants in Asian countries. Bioeconomy for Sustainable Development 2020:359-377
Zeraatkish Y, Yazdanparast M (2017) Investigating the competitive advantage of medicinal plants and related products. Future Natural Products 3(4):42-51

  • Receive Date 19 October 2024
  • Revise Date 12 January 2025
  • Accept Date 13 January 2025