The Effect of TikTok Exposure on Attitudes, Subjective Norms, and Intentions to Promote Pro-Environmental Behavior among Universitas Padjadjaran Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30595/rissej.v3i2.409Keywords:
College Students, Pro-Environmental Behavior, Social Media, TikTok ExposureAbstract
Climate change necessitates behavioral transformation among Generation Z, who are heavily influenced by TikTok. This study analyzes the impact of TikTok exposure on pro-environmental behavior among Universitas Padjadjaran students using the Theory of Planned Behavior. Data from 310 respondents were processed using SEM-PLS. Results indicate that TikTok exposure significantly is significantly associated with attitudes and subjective norms, driving environmental intentions and actions. A critical finding reveals that attitude (T-Stat 10.761) serves as a stronger mediator than subjective norms (T-Stat 6.943), suggesting that personal conviction outweighs social pressure. The model shows strong predictive power, with behavioral intention demonstrating a strong association with pro-environmental behavior (T-Stat 101.724). In conclusion, TikTok effectively mobilizes environmental action by internalizing personal values rather than mere social conformity.References
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 180–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Arnot, G., Pitt, H., McCarthy, S., Cordedda, C., Marko, S., & Thomas, S. L. (2024). Australian youth perspectives on the role of social media in climate action. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 48(1), 100111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100111
Bamberg, S., & Möser, G. (2007). Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford, and Tomera: A new meta-analysis of psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behaviour. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 27(1), 14–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2006.12.002
Ben-Enukora, C. A., Soroaye, M. P., Ejem, A. A., Asogwa, C. E., Ojih, S. E. U., & Amobi, I. T. (2025). Correlation between post-pandemic climate change advocacy on TikTok and knowledge, attitude, and adaptation practices among TikTok users in Nigeria. Journalism and Media, 6(1), 36. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia6010036
Bicchieri, C. (2012). The Grammar of Society: The Nature and Dynamics of Social Norms. Cambridge University Press.
Hajri, O., & Daife, Y. (2024). The role of social media in engaging young people in environmental issues. E3S Web of Conferences, 477, 00079. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202447700079
Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, H. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59-68. Elsevier / ScienceDirect. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2009.09.003
Kemp, S. (2023, January 26). Digital 2023: Global Overview Report — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights. DataReportal. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-global-overview-report
Kollmuss, A., & Agyeman, J. (2002). Mind the gap: Why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior? Environmental Education Research, 8(3), 240–258. Carfax Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620220145401
Liao, C.-H., Huang, C.-L., & Wang, Y.-H. (2024). Exploring social media determinants in fostering pro-environmental behavior: A TPB perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1-16. Frontiers. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1445549
Ienna, M. (2022). The relative role of knowledge and empathy in predicting pro-environmental attitudes and behavior. Sustainability, 14(8), 4622. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084622
Pearce, W., Niederer, S., Özkula, S. M., & Sánchez Querubín, N. (2019). The social media life of climate change: Platforms, publics, and future imaginaries. WIREs Climate Change, 10(2), e569. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.56
Russell, J. C., & Blackburn, T. M. (2017). The rise of invasive species denialism. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 32(1), 3–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2016.10.012
Slater |, M. D. (2004). Operationalizing and analyzing exposure: The foundation of media effects research. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 81(1), 168–183. SAGE. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769900408100112
Xiao, M., Wang, R., & Chan-Olmsted, S. (2023). Environmental communication on Twitter: The impact of message framing, bandwagon, and source credibility on message sharing. Sustainability, 15(20), 1-23. MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152014732
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Naura Arjani, Kunto Adi Wibowo, Detta Rahmawan, Ikhsan Fuady

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors published in this journal agree to the following terms:
- The copyright of each article is retained by the author (s) without restrictions
- The journal allows the author(s) to retain publishing rights without restrictions
- The author grants the journal the first publication rights with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, allowing others to share the work with an acknowledgment of authorship and the initial publication in this journal.
- Authors may enter into separate additional contractual agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of published journal versions of the work (for example, posting them to institutional repositories or publishing them in a book), with acknowledgment of their initial publication in this journal
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (For example in the Institutional Repository or on their website) before and during the submission process, as this can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and larger citations of published work
- Articles and all related material published are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-4.0 International Public License (CC - BY 4.0).
License
Research and Innovation in Social Science Education Journal (RISSEJ) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- 4.0 International Public License (CC - BY 4.0).
You are free to :
Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially



