Household Water Use and Conservation Behavior: A Meta‐Analysis

Abstract

Understanding the psychological-social drivers of water-use behavior in households is essential for enhancing the effectiveness of water-conservation strategies and subsequent environmental benefits. This study used the Behaviour Change Wheel framework to review associations between capability, opportunity, and motivation (COM) dimensions and household water-use behaviors. A meta-analysis of 88 correlation coefficients from a combined sample of 15,656 participants showed positive relationships between water-use behavior and COM dimensions. These three dimensions were statistically significant in predicting household water-use behavior, with opportunity being the most moderate predictor of water-conservation behavior (r = 0.25, p < 0.001), followed by motivation (r = 0.24, p < 0.001) and then capability (r = 0.18, p < 0.001). Collectively, these dimensions explained 37% of the variance in household water-conservation behavior. Correlation coefficients also diverged as a function of COM dimension subtypes (psychological, physical, social, reflective, and automatic) and study location, study design, and the gender of participants. Overall, the results are consistent with the Behaviour Change Wheel assertion that the integrative components of behavior are important sources of psychological-social drivers of water-use behavior. COM dimensions are useful for the identification of behaviors that influence water-use and how these may diverge depending on the water-use character of the region and environment.