Title: THE ROLE OF GREEN IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION IN INFLUENCING YOUTH PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS TOWARD WILDLIFE PROTECTION

Authors: Quan Nguyen Van and Anh Nguyen Ha Trang

Abstract: This study investigates the psychological mechanisms underlying youths’ pro-environmental behavioral intention toward wildlife protection by extending the Theory of Planned Behavior with green identity construction and moral obligation. Drawing on insights from Norm Activation Theory, the study proposes that moral obligation serves as a key mediating mechanism through which identity-based values are translated into behavioral intentions. Data were collected from 317 young respondents using a structured questionnaire and analyzed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. The results indicate that green identity construction has a significant positive effect on both moral obligation and pro-environmental behavioral intention. Moral obligation, in turn, strongly predicts behavioral intention and partially mediates the relationship between green identity and intention. Notably, the indirect effect of green identity via moral obligation is stronger than its direct effect, highlighting the central role of moral responsibility in driving environmentally responsible behavior. The findings contribute to the literature by demonstrating that identity alone is insufficient to explain pro-environmental intention unless it is internalized as a moral obligation. This study also provides practical implications for policymakers and educators by emphasizing the importance of fostering both environmental identity and ethical responsibility among youth to promote wildlife conservation. Overall, the research offers a more comprehensive understanding of how internal psychological factors shape pro-environmental decision-making in ethically sensitive contexts.

Keywords: Green identity construction; moral obligation; pro-environmental behavioral intention; wildlife protection; youth environmental behavior.

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