Examining the Relationship between Pro-Environmental Attitudes, Self-Determination, and Sustained Intention in Eco-Friendly Sports Participation: A Study on Plogging Participants

In response to rising environmental concerns and the increase in eco-friendly sports activities, this study investigated the determinants of sustained intention to participate in plogging, a combination of jogging and litter collection. A total of 288 randomly assigned plogging participants were surveyed to discern the effects of autonomy, competence, and relatedness experiences on sustained plogging intentions as suggested by self-determination theory. The study also examined the moderating role of eco-friendly attitudes. The analysis, executed using multi-group structural equation modeling, revealed that while autonomy and competence did not significantly influence extrinsic motivation, relatedness emerged as the most influential factor. This suggests that plogging primarily serves as a prosocial behavior, enhancing relationships, rather than a means to increase physical competence. The values derived from plogging and the intention to continue varied based on the participants’ eco-friendly attitudes. The authors conclude that voluntary participation and socialization are the core values of plogging and understanding these can promote healthier and more sustainable behaviors.