Applicability of the Value–Belief– Norm Model to the Protection of Native Biodiversity in a District of Santiago, Chile

Abstract

There is a considerable need for citizen commitment to protecting biodiversity, particularly in Latin America, where authorities have proven themselves not very effective in protecting the areas around large cities. In light of this, this article reports on research into applying the value–belief–norm (VBN) model to predict tendencies towards behavior protective of local native biodiversity in an urban district of Santiago, Chile. This district borders on a Mediterranean ecosystem that is considered a global biodiversity hotspot. The research involved a survey applied to a representative sample of 219 inhabitants whose responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results suggest that the VBN model fits adequately to the data and can predict the majority of protective behaviors studied. We also discuss the relevance of the VBN model to effective social marketing of pro-environmental messages.