Reasoned Action in Environmental Communication Research: Demonstration of an Augmented Model

What leads a person to allow their lawn to turn brown, dial down the thermostat, or purchase a fuel efficient vehicle? Of the various approaches for understanding behavior one theoretical approach stands out: Ajzen and Fishbein’s (1980) Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) (or its more recent counterpart, Planned Behavior). This theory almost seems tailored for use with behaviors linked to politically and socially charged environmental issues.