Understanding Pro-Environmental Behavior of Citizen Science: An Exploratory Study of the Bird Survey in Taoyuan’s Farm Ponds Project

Abstract

This exploratory study aims to fill the gap by adopting Hirose’s two-phase decision-making model with the theory of social networks to explore the environmentally friendly attitudes and environmental behavioral intentions toward pro-environmental behaviors of the citizen scientists who participated in the Bird Survey in Taoyuan’s Farm Ponds Project. The Bird Survey in Taoyuan’s Farm Ponds Project is a systematic citizen science project founded in 2003 with the aim to identify existing and potential irrigation ponds that are important to creating waterbird refuges to secure habitats for wintering waterbirds in anthropogenically influenced areas. The participation in this project itself can be considered as a form of pro-environmental behavior. A total of 24 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants of the Bird Survey in Taoyuan’s Farm Ponds Project. Qualitative data showed that participants mentioned six variables (i.e., perceived seriousness, ascription of responsibility, belief in the effectiveness, feasibility evaluation, cost–benefit evaluation, and social norms evaluation) of the two-phase decision-making model in relation to environmentally friendly attitudes and environmental behavioral intention. Findings also revealed three key variables (i.e., social networks, learning and growth, and belonging and contribution) in the theory of social networks that are associated with environmentally friendly attitudes and environmental behavioral intention. Based on the findings, it is proposed that the social needs variables are incorporated as an extension to the two-phase decision-making model to offer a more comprehensive explanation of pro-environmental behavior.