Mediation effects of knowledge and attitude on relationship between internal and external message response to recycling campaigns and recycling practices

Communication plays a vital role in deliberating ideas and information on environmental issues. Nevertheless, the success depends on the extent of people responded to the given messages. Malaysia launched recycling campaign in November 2000 with full support from media and stakeholders. Recycling is an important form of solid waste management mechanism that promotes sustainable practices. After 13 years, people are still reluctant in adopting certain measures to reduce the impact on the environment. Even, the government admitted that the recycling campaign has failed to change people’s mindset and behaviour. Understandably, communication hardly has direct influences on people behaviour except through mediation initiatives. Thus, this study attempts to examine the mediation effect on message response (external and internal) and recycling practices. Most interestingly, this examination is carried out based on double mediation effect rather than single mediation effect. In this study, two underlying perspectives were combined to illustrate the influence of message response on people’s pro-environmental behaviour. The inclusion of message response to Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) model as predictor to recycling behaviour would be best explained by Communication Domino Effect (CDE) Model. CDE is associated to external (message exposure and attention) and internal (message involvement and interest) message responses. A survey was conducted in 25 government agencies involving 360 civil servants. About 334 samples were found fit for further data analysis using the structural equation modeling (SEM). Besides testing for existence of double mediation effect, this study also examined the level of constructs being studied and any unique finding of demographic factor differences in relation to recycling knowledge, attitudes and recycling practice. This study has proven that message interest was the only variable that significantly influenced (partial mediation) workplace recycling practice when mediated through specific knowledge and attitudes (upbringing). The relationship between other variables (message attention and message involvement) and recycling practices did not mediated through double mediators (recycling knowledge and attitudes),however there was sufficient evidence to indicate the occurrence of indirect effect. The study also revealed that civil servants have a moderate level of message exposure and message attention. However, their level of message involvement and message interest was relatively high. In addition, the levels of civil servants specific recycling knowledge, recycling value and recycling practice were also high, while their recycling upbringing level was moderate. Lastly, the finding of this study helps media practitioners to craft better campaign messages on recycling practice by putting more attention to message interest with right target group