The theory of reasoned goal pursuit: An empirical test in the domain of avoiding single-use plastic packaging

Research on the role of goals in shaping pro-environmental behavior remains relatively underdeveloped. By integrating active procurement goals and approval goals into the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the theory of reasoned goal pursuit (TRGP), proposed by Ajzen and Kruglanski (2019), offers a comprehensive framework for conceptualizing the social cognition processes that mediate the effect of goals on behavior. The TRGP highlights the importance of goals by positing not only direct effects of goals on behavioral and normative beliefs, but also their moderating influence on the relationship between these beliefs and the constructs of attitude and subjective norm. Furthermore, the TRGP introduces motivation as a key mediating variable in the relationship between attitude, subjective norm, and behavioral intention, with the effect of attitude and subjective norm on motivation also expected to be moderated by activated goals. This paper presents the methodology and results of a pilot study (N = 49) aimed at identifying active procurement and approval goals, followed by a main study (N = 402) testing key assumptions of the TRGP in the context of avoiding purchasing products packaged in single-use plastic. Structural equation modelling was employed to assess the model, which accounted for 59 % of the variance in attitude, 44 % in subjective norm, 51 % in perceived behavioral control, 69 % in motivation, 83 % in intention, and 14 % in behavior. The results confirm most of the main effects postulated by the TRGP, though no empirical support was found for the proposed moderating effects of activated goals. The article concludes with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of the TRGP and offers recommendations for enhancing its empirical implications through improved methodological approaches.