@inproceedings{01JH86JJFWBH99NSM7DX85005W,
  abstract     = {{In response to escalating global water scarcity, this study explores the psychological determinants that shape individuals' acceptance of alternative water sources (i.e., rainwater & recycled greywater, instead of current tap water that is sourced primarily from freshwater reservoirs) for different water usages. Understanding these dynamics is crucial to design communication strategies that promote and introduce innovative approaches for sustainable water practices. An online survey (n=2623) assessed whether perceptions regarding (future) water scarcity likelihood, perceived vulnerability, self-efficacy to adopt alternative sources of water, moral obligation, water-saving behaviours, and sociodemographics’ as predicted the acceptance of different of water source (current tap water, rainwater, and/or recycled grey water) for direct (cooking and drinking), semi-direct (shower, sink, bath & dishwasher), indirect (washing machine & cleaning inside), and distant (toilet, watering plants & cleaning outside) usages.

Ordinal logistic regressions revealed influential factors in water acceptance patterns. Tap water was – by far – most accepted for direct water use, but became increasingly less accepted the more indirect the usage was, in particular for those who feel a strong moral obligation (for the case of semi-direct, indirect and distant activities), feel more self-efficacious (for of direct, semi-direct and indirect activities) and to some extent the future likelihood of water scarcity. Education and age also revealed to have an influence increasing acceptance for tap water usage based on the degree of distance to the water.

The odds of accepting rainwater as a water source was higher for those individuals with a strong moral obligation. In addition, for semi-direct use odds also increased for those who perceive water to be more scarce in the future. Besides the previous factors, for indirect and distant use the odds also increased for individuals that feel more self-efficacious and that reported frequent past conservation behaviours. Age revealed to decreased the odds of accepting rainwater for the four categories.

For direct recycled greywater, the odds of accepting it as a source were increased by feeling more self-efficacious. Additionally, for the case of semi-direct and indirect use, the odds increased for individuals with higher moral obligation; while surprisingly, those who reported to conserve water in their past revealed lower odds of accepting recycled water for these categories. For distant use, beyond the prior, the odds also increased for those who perceive water to be more scarce in the future and perceive to be affected personally by water scarcity and have a higher education.

The findings emphasize pivotal policy and societal implications for sustainable water management. Recognizing the impact of moral obligation and self-efficacy provides a foundation for crafting targeted messages that align with individual motivations. Such communication strategies can be instrumental in promoting the widespread adoption of rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling practices. Societally, emphasizing these psychological drivers could catalyse a cultural shift towards valuing water conservation, leading to more resilient communities in the face of escalating water scarcity challenges. Policymakers should thus consider integrating psychological insights into sustainable water management strategies to convey both individual behaviours and broader societal norms effectively.}},
  articleno    = {{PP 1111}},
  author       = {{Vazquez Casaubon, Estefanya Charlotte and Cauberghe, Veroline and Bouman, Thijs}},
  booktitle    = {{ECREA 2024 : electronic Book of Abstracts}},
  isbn         = {{9788090836495}},
  keywords     = {{Sustainable water-usage,Moral obligation,Self-efficacy,Rainwater,Recycled greywater}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  location     = {{Ljubljana, Slovenia}},
  pages        = {{PP 1111:791--PP 1111:792}},
  publisher    = {{CZECH-IN}},
  title        = {{Role of moral obligation and self-efficacy to promote acceptance for alternative water sources : implications for effective communication}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}