Abstract:
Despite huge environmental, economical, health, and
societal costs of pesticides,
research has argued that farmers in developing coun
tries will continue to use pesticides.
The present study used an extended model of the the
ory of planned behavior (TPB),
which includes the additional variables of moral no
rm and self-identity, to predict the
farmers’ decisions (intentions) regarding pesticide
s
usage in a multistage, clustered
random sample of farmers (n= 150) in a face-to- fac
e survey of students that was
undertaken in Dyer County in Southern Iran. The rel
iability and validity of the
instruments were examined and approved. Findings re
vealed that the extended model is
an improvement over the standard TPB
variables for predicting intention. Hierarchical
regression analysis showed that attitude, subjectiv
e norm, perceived behavior control and
self-identity can predict 63% of variances in farme
rs’ intentions. In conclusion, the results
of this study demonstrated that the extended TPB ca
n be used as a conceptual framework
for intervention programs aimed at decreasing pesti
cides spraying intention.
Keywords:
Moral norm, Self-identity, Theory of Planned Behav
ior.
