The Influence of Ecological Values on Ecotourism Behavior of Vocational College Students: Chain Mediation of Green Consumption Atmosphere and Pro-environmental Behavior

The Influence of Ecological Values on Ecotourism Behavior of Vocational College Students: Chain Mediation of Green Consumption Atmosphere and Pro-environmental Behavior | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article The Influence of Ecological Values on Ecotourism Behavior of Vocational College Students: Chain Mediation of Green Consumption Atmosphere and Pro-environmental Behavior Du Yizhan, Fan Jiabao This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8899220/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study investigates the impact of ecological values on eco-tourism behaviors among vocational college students, and examines whether green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behaviors serve as chain mediators between ecological values and eco-tourism behaviors. Using the Resident Ecological Values Scale, Low-Carbon Tourism Behavior Scale, Green Consumption Atmosphere Scale, and Pro-environmental Behavior Scale, 600 vocational college students were surveyed. The findings reveal: (1) Significant positive correlations exist among ecological values, eco-tourism behaviors, green consumption atmosphere, and pro-environmental behaviors; (2) Ecological values positively predict eco-tourism behaviors; (3) Firstly, green consumption atmosphere mediates the relationship between ecological values and eco-tourism behaviors; secondly, pro-environmental behaviors also mediate this relationship; thirdly, the chain structure formed by green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behaviors further mediates the relationship between ecological values and eco-tourism behaviors. Biological sciences/Ecology Earth and environmental sciences/Ecology Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental social sciences Biological sciences/Psychology Social science/Psychology ecological values ecotourism behavior green consumption atmosphere pro-environmental behavior Figures Figure 1 1. Introduction In recent years, China's spiritual civilization construction has been continuously deepened, and the public's demands for a better life have been steadily increasing. As an important form of leisure and entertainment, tourism has played an increasingly significant role in people's lives. With the continuous growth in tourist numbers and expanding consumer demand, the tourism industry has rapidly developed and become a vital pillar of the national economy. However, alongside the prosperity of tourism, environmental pressures have also significantly increased, and tourist activities have had a substantial impact on the ecological environment of tourist destinations. China's 13th Five-Year Plan explicitly states that due to the environmental challenges posed by tourism, it is essential to fully leverage the role of the tourism industry in ecological civilization construction, vigorously develop ecotourism, and integrate the concept of green development into the entire tourism industry process to build a new modern tourism development model characterized by harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. Under these circumstances, the academic community has focused on the sustainable development of ecotourism as a key research subject, with scholars particularly emphasizing the environmental behaviors of tourists as the core elements of tourism activities [ 1 ]. Notably, existing academic research has insufficient attention to the potential role of vocational college students in the ecotourism industry. The underlying reason lies in the multi-tiered development of vocational education systems, which has led to continuous expansion of vocational education scale and significant growth in the student population. However, the marginalized status of this group in social structures remains fundamentally unaltered. Employment market data indicates that vocational college graduates face significant employment discrimination, with their job opportunities and salary levels generally lower than those of regular university graduates. The public's excessive emphasis on academic credentials has long hindered vocational education's social recognition from rivaling that of regular higher education [ 2 ]. Yet as vital driving forces for social progress, vocational students 'behavioral choices not only correlate with economic and social development but also exert broad societal impacts. In summary, research on ecotourism among vocational students provides crucial references for governments and scenic areas to guide tourists in adopting environmentally friendly behaviors, thereby promoting sustainable ecological development in scenic spots, green transformation of tourism, and ecological civilization construction. This research also enriches existing studies on tourists' environmental behaviors and broadens research scopes, offering additional insights for ecotourism development. These findings hold significant importance for improving China's natural environment. Ecological values have evolved through humanity's long-standing practice of respecting natural laws and maintaining ecological balance. They embody our comprehensive understanding and fundamental attitude toward ecosystem value and the relationship between humans and nature. At their core, these values establish harmonious coexistence between humans and nature as a fundamental principle, with sustainable development serving as the guiding philosophy to foster resource-efficient and environmentally friendly production models and consumption patterns [ 3 ]. The unique cognitive characteristics of humans inherently include value systems. Through conscious value judgments and choices, people continuously meet their developmental needs, gradually constructing stable value frameworks. Essentially, values represent fundamental perspectives and overall attitudes toward the value attributes of things, consistently guiding human decisions and providing crucial direction and regulation for practical activities [ 4 ]. In conclusion, this paper defines ecological values as humanity's rational understanding and value orientation toward the ecological environment, collectively manifesting our ecological value concepts. Ecotourism is a distinctive form of travel that fulfills people's desire to connect with nature while embodying profound reflections on ecological conservation and sustainable development. At its core, it aims to promote environmental protection, improve residents' livelihoods, and carries educational significance and experiential value. Its essence extends beyond simply admiring natural landscapes, encompassing the understanding of regional cultures, reverence for ecosystem preservation, and strict control of environmental footprints [ 5 ]. In the current era of severe global ecological challenges, ecotourism is not merely a travel option but a crucial practice for humanity to explore sustainable development pathways [ 6 ]. In 1983, Lascurai of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) first proposed the concept of ecotourism and provided an academic definition. This innovative tourism approach enhances management and quality while ensuring biodiversity preservation, sustainable utilization of tourism resources, and ecological sustainability, ultimately achieving the goals of protecting natural ecosystems and practicing sustainable tourism principles [ 7 ]. In summary, this paper defines ecotourism as a travel behavior that bears dual responsibilities of protecting natural environments and safeguarding local communities' livelihoods. The environmental ethics of ecotourism sustainable development centers on achieving fairness and harmony, encompassing two key aspects. First, humans must establish scientific values regarding tourism resources and cultural perspectives, while tourism stakeholders should fully recognize the crucial role of moral development in ecotourism advancement. Second, to improve environmental ethical constraints, it is essential to disseminate systematic moral norms to the public, including ecological protection guidelines, principles of sustainable resource utilization, environmental equity concepts, and responsibility awareness. This helps the public understand the importance of preserving scenic area ecosystems and achieving harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, while emphasizing that everyone must fulfill corresponding environmental obligations when enjoying resource usage rights [ 8 ]. In summary, promoting moderate and green consumption during tourism development, enhancing public ecological awareness, and cultivating a group of environmental protection advocates can be achieved through environmental ethics education that promotes concepts like intergenerational equity, generational equity, and human-land equity. This leads to Hypothesis1: Ecological values can positively predict ecotourism behaviors among vocational college students. Green tourism consumption is a sustainable consumption model that integrates environmental protection concepts into travel activities. It refers to tourists prioritizing eco-friendly products and services during trips to minimize ecological damage. This concept originated from sustainability research in architecture, transportation, and hospitality industries, reflecting low-carbon practices and technological innovations adopted by consumers and businesses in response to environmental challenges [ 9 ]. In summary, this paper defines a green consumption atmosphere as a consumer environment where individuals make environmentally conscious choices based on environmental protection and related interests. Existing research data indicates that in high-quality green consumption atmospheres, initial behavioral intentions significantly promote ecotourism behaviors, while such effects are absent in weak atmospheres. Similarly, in high-quality green consumption atmospheres, ecological values strongly promote ecotourism behaviors with significant mediating effects, whereas in weak atmospheres, both factors show no significant correlation. Comparative analysis demonstrates that higher quality green consumption atmospheres strengthen the positive relationship between ecological values and ecotourism behaviors [ 10 ]. Specifically, better green consumption atmospheres enhance the positive connection between ecological values and ecotourism behaviors. Therefore, Hypothesis 2 proposes that green consumption atmosphere mediates the relationship between ecological values and ecotourism behaviors among vocational college students. Scholars have proposed diverse definitions of pro-environmental behavior. Stern characterized it as human activities aimed at protecting or preventing environmental damage, while Sivek et al. emphasized resource conservation, describing it as a behavioral pattern that reduces unnecessary resource consumption. Kollmuss et al. and Ramkissoon interpreted it from the perspective of damage control as proactive measures to minimize environmental negative impacts, and Lange et al. directly defined it as practical actions that positively influence ecosystems. Scholars have also proposed locally adapted definitions: Wu and Zhang et al. viewed it as manifestations of environmental attitudes, problem-solving awareness, and participatory behaviors in daily life, while Liu and other scholars highlighted its overall embodiment as active avoidance of environmentally destructive behaviors [ 11 ]. In summary, this paper defines pro-environmental behavior as practical actions that promote ecological sustainability. Pro-environmental behavior and ecotourism exhibit a strong correlation [ 12 ]. This study defines pro-environmental behavior as practices that promote ecological sustainability, while ecotourism refers to tourism activities that fulfill dual responsibilities of preserving natural environments and sustaining local livelihoods. Research indicates that tourists' ecotourism intentions are driven by two psychological mechanisms: prosocial and self-serving factors. While egocentric values weaken self-regulation behaviors, ecological values not only reinforce self-discipline but also enhance proactive conservation efforts—a finding consistent with domestic and international empirical research. Based on these findings, Hypothesis 3 proposes that pro-environmental behavior mediates the relationship between ecological values and ecotourism behaviors among vocational college students. In a high-level green consumption atmosphere, ecological values significantly positively influence green tourism consumption behavior. However, in a low-level green consumption atmosphere, ecological values show no significant impact on green tourism consumption behavior, and the mediating effect is not significant. In summary, the research data indicate that ecological values have a positive impact on the eco-tourism behavior of vocational college students. Moreover, the green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behavior mutually influence each other, and both exert positive effects on vocational college students 'eco-tourism behavior when ecological values are at a high level. Ecological values also positively influence both the green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behavior. Based on these findings, Hypothesis 4 is proposed: The green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behavior serve as chain mediating factors between ecological values and vocational college students' eco-tourism behavior. 2. Methods 2.1.Participants and Procedure The paper takes the students of higher vocational colleges as the object, and adopts the method of questionnaire survey. The surveys were conducted in Oct 2025(from 1/10/2025 to 30/10/2025). The questionnaire is randomly distributed to about 700 students of higher vocational colleges, and 650 questionnaires are collected. Through statistics, the invalid data such as too short, too long, and regular answer are screened out, and 600 valid questionnaires are finally collected, and the recovery rate is 92.3%. The participants comprised 388 males (64.66%) and 212 females (35.34%), with distribution as follows: freshmen (205,34.16%), sophomores (213,35.50%), and juniors (182,30.34%). The age range of participants was 18–21 years (mean age: 19.15 ± 1.21 years). This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Fujian Polytechnic Normal University of China (No.2025-03) before data collection. All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations. Participants were informed of the study’s purpose, procedures, potential risks, and benefits. Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their inclusion in the study. 2.2 Measures 2.2.1.Resident Ecological Values Scale The Resident Ecological Values Scale (RESV) was developed by Gao Chenling, referencing the established scale by Stern et al. (2003) and adapted to the study context. It comprises 10 items with a 5-point rating scale, including two reverse-score items [ 13 ]. In this study, the scale demonstrated a Cronbach's α of 0.85. 2.2.2Low-carbon Tourism Behavior Scale The Low-carbon Tourism Behavior Scale (LCTBS) was developed by Chen Lili, building upon the dimensional framework established by Huang Xueli et al. The scale comprises three dimensions—conservation-oriented, purchase-oriented, and reduction-oriented low-carbon tourism behaviors—totaling 12 items. It measures tourists 'low-carbon tourism behavior tendencies using a 5-point scale, with all items being positive-weighted, where higher scores indicate stronger behavioral tendencies [ 14 ]. In this study, the scale demonstrated a Cronbach's α of 0.95. 2.2.3 Green Consumption Atmosphere Scale The Green Consumption Atmosphere Scale was adapted from the questionnaire items used in Pan Hao et al. 's study, tailored to the research objectives of this paper. Pan Hao et al.' s study focused on green tourism consumption, and their scale aligned with the research theme, comprising 4 items with 5-point scoring. All items were positive, with no negative items [15]. In this study, the Cronbach's α of the scale was 0.85. 2.2.4 Environmental Behavior Scale The design of measurement items for the Environmental Behavior Scale draws on the research of He Yunmeng et al., collecting information descriptions about hotel customers 'environmentally friendly behaviors from real life, online reviews, literature, and the "China Citizens' Domestic Tourism Civilized Behavior Convention." Based on the actual situation of the hotel industry and the main research objectives of this paper, the direction and content of the item design process for hotel customers 'environmentally friendly behaviors were comprehensively grasped. The introduced scale was adjusted to determine two dimensions with 8 items: low-effort environmentally friendly behavior and high-effort environmentally friendly behavior. A 7-point scoring system was adopted, with no reverse scoring items [ 11 ]. In this study, the Cronbach's α of the scale was 0.95. 3. Results 3.1 Common Method Bias Since this study tested four variables, potential common method bias may arise. To mitigate this issue, the following principles were implemented during the initial phase: participants were informed of the questionnaire's confidentiality prior to measurement, and items employing reverse scoring were included. After completing data collection, Harman's single-factor test was applied for principal component analysis. The results revealed four factors with eigenvalues above 1.0, among which the first factor accounted for 24.6% variance—a relatively low percentage compared to the 40% threshold. Therefore, this study demonstrates no significant common method bias, enabling reliable statistical analysis of the data. 3.2Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis of variables Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis of variables were conducted using the Pearson correlation coefficient method for bivariate association testing. The results of two-sided significance testing are as follows (see Table 1 for detailed analysis): Ecological values showed a significant positive correlation with ecotourism (r = 0.67, p < 0.001). Ecological values exhibited a significant positive correlation with green consumption atmosphere (r = 0.65, p < 0.001). Ecological values demonstrated a significant positive correlation with pro-environmental behavior (r = 0.71, p < 0.001). Ecotourism showed a significant positive correlation with both green consumption atmosphere (r = 0.64, p < 0.001) and pro-environmental behavior (r = 0.66, p < 0.001). Green consumption atmosphere demonstrated a significant positive correlation with pro-environmental behavior (r = 0.73, p < 0.001). In summary, ecological values exhibited pairwise positive correlations with ecotourism, green consumption atmosphere, and pro-environmental behavior. Table 1 Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis of variables variable, M SD 1 2 3 4 1.ecological values 3.16 0.82 — 2.ecotourism behavior 3.35 1.08 0.67 *** — 3.green consumption atmosphere 3.38 1.09 0.65 *** 0.64 *** — 4.pro-environmental behavior 4.47 1.57 0.71 *** 0.66 *** 0.73 *** — * p <0.05 ** p <0.01 *** p <0.001 3.3.2 Chain Mediation Analysis Using the SPSS statistical software and the chain mediation model with the Process plugin, combined with the Bootstrap repeated sampling technique, we validated the mediating pathways between variables, yielding the following results. The direct effect between ecological values and ecotourism behavior is statistically significant (β = 0.34, p < 0.001), indicating that ecological values can significantly predict ecotourism behavior. Additionally, ecological values positively predict the green consumption atmosphere (β = 0.65, p < 0.001) and environmentally friendly behavior (β = 0.41, p < 0.001). The green consumption atmosphere also positively predicts environmentally friendly behavior (β = 0.45, p < 0.001) and ecotourism behavior (β = 0.24, p < 0.001). Furthermore, environmentally friendly behavior significantly predicts ecotourism behavior (β = 0.23, p < 0.001). Table 2 Chain Mediation of Green Consumption Atmosphere and Pro-environmen between Ecological Values and Ecotourism Behavior predictive variable R 2 F β p Ses t LLCI ULCI equation1 Green Consumption Atmosphere Ecological Values 0.43 446.68 0.65 .000 0.01 21.13 *** 0.31 0.37 equation2 Pro-environment behavior Ecological Values Green Consumption Atmosphere 0 .63 513.23 0.41 0.45 .000 .000 0.05 0.09 12.70 *** 13.94 *** 0 .53 1.13 0.73 1.50 equation3 Ecotourism Behavior Ecological Values Green Consumption Atmosphere Pro-environment behavior 0 .55 246.30 0.34 0.24 0.23 .000 .000 .000 0.06 0.12 0.04 8.51 *** 5.92 *** 5.25 *** 0.41 0.48 0.15 0.67 0.97 0.33 equation4 Ecotourism Behavior Ecological Values 0.46 510.48 0.67 .000 0.04 22.59 *** 0.97 1.15 The results show that the ecological values have an impact on ecotourism through three intermediary routes: ecological values→green consumption atmosphere→ecotourism behavior, ecological values→pro-environment behavior→ecotourism behavior, and ecological values→green consumption atmosphere→pro-environment behavior→ecotourism behavior. The first path, with green consumption atmosphere as the mediator, shows an indirect effect in the Bootstrap95% confidence interval of [0.13,0.38] (excluding 0), indicating a significant mediating effect between ecological values and ecotourism, with an effect size of 0.25 and BootSE = 0.06. The second path, using pro-environmental behavior as the mediator, demonstrates a significant mediating effect between ecological values and ecotourism, with an effect size of 0.15 and BootSE = 0.04, within the [0.07,0.25] interval (excluding 0). The third path, mediating through both green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behavior, shows an overall significant effect with an effect size of 0.11 and BootSE = 0.03, within the [0.05,0.17] interval (excluding 0). The comprehensive analysis demonstrates that green consumption culture and pro-environment behaviors exhibit a chain-mediated effect in the process of ecological values influencing ecotourism. Meanwhile, green consumption culture alone plays a mediating role in the pathway from ecological values to ecotourism behavior. Data analysis reveals that the total mediation effect (0.52 = indirect effect 1 + indirect effect 2 + indirect effect 3) has a 95% confidence interval [0.39,0.66] obtained through Bootstrap testing that does not contain zero, indicating statistically significant mediating pathways. The direct effect (0.54) also shows a confidence interval [0.41,0.67] without crossing zero, confirming its significance. Notably, the total effect (1.06) has a confidence interval [0.97,1.15] that does not include zero, corroborating previous findings and validating the model's robustness. Statistical results indicate that both mediation and direct effects are statistically significant, demonstrating a complete chain-mediated pathway between ecological values and ecotourism among vocational college students. Table 3 Bootstrap analysis for testing the significance of mediating effects effect type effect size Boot SE 95% confidence interval effect size LICI ULCI total effect 1.06 0.04 0.97 1.15 100% direct effect 0.54 0.06 0.41 0.67 50.94% total indirect effect 0.52 0.06 0.39 0.66 49.05% Indirect Effect 1 0.25 0.06 0.13 0.38 48.07% Indirect Effect 2 0.15 0.04 0.07 0.25 28.84% Indirect Effect 3 0.11 0.03 0.05 0.17 21.15% C1 0.09 0.09 -0.08 0.28 17.30% C2 0.14 0.07 -0.01 0.29 26.92% C3 0.04 0.03 -0.008 0.11 7.69% Indirect Effect 1: Ecological Values → Green Consumption Atmosphere → Ecotourism Behavior; Indirect Effect 2: Ecological Values → Pro-environmental Behavior → Ecotourism Behavior; Indirect Effect 3: Ecological Values → Green Consumption Atmosphere → Pro-environmental Behavior → Ecotourism Behavior 4. Discussion and Conclusions 4.1 Relationships between variables This study investigates the impact of ecological values on ecotourism through a series of analyses, constructing a corresponding model that ultimately reveals a chain-mediated effect model with green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behavior as key components in the process of ecological values influencing ecotourism behavior among vocational college students. The research data further demonstrates a strong positive correlation (r = 0.67) between ecological values and ecotourism behavior in this student population, with the direct effect reaching statistical significance, indicating a stable relationship between the two. The constructed chain-mediated model reveals significant bidirectional associations among all variables. Previous studies on green consumption atmosphere [16] and pro-environmental behavior [17] have also examined their correlations. The research demonstrates that vocational students 'green consumption attitudes and pro-environmental behaviors serve as a chain intermediary between ecological values and ecotourism behavior. Notably, there is a significant correlation between individual green consumption attitudes and pro-environmental behaviors, with psychological factors playing a pivotal role in guiding behavioral patterns. These factors influence motivation, decision-making processes, and final actions [18], indicating that the formation of personal values critically shapes behavioral choices. Ecological values have evolved through humanity's long-standing practice of respecting natural laws and maintaining ecological balance. When vocational students develop ecological awareness and accurately grasp the core principles of ecological values, they naturally adopt pro-environmental behaviors, with ecotourism behavior being a concrete manifestation of such behaviors [ 4 ]. Both the green consumption culture and pro-environmental behaviors can effectively promote sustainable practices. While conventional consumption patterns may overlook environmental considerations, environmental factors should be the primary consideration in tourism-related decisions. It is crucial to recognize that tourism resources are finite and cannot be perpetually replenished. Therefore, promoting green consumption concepts and implementing sustainable development measures are fundamental to ensuring the tourism industry's long-term healthy growth [ 19 ]. Research data demonstrates that ecological values significantly enhance ecotourism behavior in high-quality green consumption atmospheres, whereas this effect is absent in weaker environmental contexts. Within high-quality green consumption atmospheres, ecological values exhibit strong positive effects on ecotourism behavior with significant mediating effects, while both factors show no significant correlation in weaker environments. Comparative analysis confirms that higher green consumption atmosphere quality correlates more closely with positive ecological values and ecotourism behavior [ 11 ]. If green consumption atmosphere quality serves as a moderating factor, then pro-environmental behaviors act as a driving force in this process. 4.2 The Mediating Role of Green Consumption Atmosphere In 1987, John and Julia pioneered the concept of green consumption, defining it as a sustainable consumption model that avoids environmental pollution, minimizes natural resource depletion, and benefits both individuals and society [ 20 ]. Caroline characterized green consumption as an eco-friendly approach, while Peattie's 2010 research emphasized that its essence lies in achieving a dynamic balance between human needs and ecological conservation under the principles of sustainable development [ 21 ]. In 2000, Stern's research identified environmental situational factors as mediators between attitudes and behaviors, establishing the Attitude-Situation-Behavior Theory. This framework posits that individual behavioral choices are not solely determined by intrinsic attitudes or extrinsic environments, but rather result from their combined effects. Attitudes refer to persistent psychological inclinations toward specific matters or behaviors, encompassing three dimensions: cognitive evaluation, emotional responses, and behavioral intentions. Situational factors include external material conditions, socio-cultural contexts, institutional norms, and other environmental elements [ 22 ]. The dynamic mechanism through which attitudes and situations influence behavior has been elucidated: when environmental constraints are weak, behavior is primarily governed by personal attitudes. In environmental protection behaviors, external environmental factors often exert greater influence than individual attitudes [ 23 ]. The rational behavior theory, first proposed by Fishbein and Ajzen, forms the foundation of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework. It posits that behavioral intention is the sole determinant of human actions, assuming that people process information through rational analysis [ 24 ]. Although this theoretical model was widely applied in early research on green consumption willingness, it is limited to idealized rational decision-making scenarios, as consumers' actual decisions are often influenced by emotional factors. In 1991, Ajzen proposed the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to address this gap by incorporating irrational factors to some extent. TPB posits that actual behavior is directly determined by behavioral intentions, which are shaped by three dimensions: behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control [25]. Attitudes are associated with the evaluation of positive and negative consequences of behavior. Subjective norms refer to the perception of societal expectations regarding behavior. Finally, perceived behavioral control stems from an individual's assessment of their ability to engage in the behavior [ 26 ]. Compared to the Theory of Attributive Behavior (TRA), the Theory of Perceived Behavioral Control (TPB) incorporates the variable of perceived behavioral control and integrates consumers 'past experiences and expectations into its framework, thereby partially addressing irrational decision-making issues. However, scholars such as Qi Haifeng have pointed out that TPB's behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control still fall within the realm of rational decision-making and fail to adequately explain how irrational factors like moral consciousness, environmental emotions, and situational stimuli influence consumption willingness and behavior [ 27 ]. The eco-tourism behaviors of vocational college students are shaped by their initial ecological values. In this context, the green consumption climate acts as a mediator between these values and eco-tourism behaviors. Specifically, the green consumption climate moderates both the direct effects and the latter part of the mediating effects. This means that a stronger green consumption climate enhances the positive correlation between ecological values and eco-tourism behaviors. Moreover, the green consumption climate exhibits positive correlations with both ecological values and eco-tourism [ 28 ]. 4.3 Mediating Role of Pro-environmental Behavior In 1977, Schwartz developed the Norm Activation Theory, which posits that effective activation of moral norms significantly promotes prosocial behavior. The theory emphasizes that the activation process is fundamentally determined by an individual's awareness of behavioral consequences and the strength of their sense of responsibility, specifically manifested through two core variables: consequence awareness and responsibility attribution [ 11 ]. In 2018, Melo et al. demonstrated that environmental attitudes and other cognitive factors influence environmental behavior conditionally, with their actual effects closely tied to individual psychological time perception and objective time constraints [ 29 ]. Di Feifei's 2018 empirical analysis revealed that women exhibit stronger environmental behavior tendencies than men, and individuals with higher incomes, better health, and greater life satisfaction also demonstrate stronger environmental behavior intentions [ 30 ]. Zientara and Zamojska's 2018 study of hotel employees found that ecological values, emotional identification, and the organizational environmental culture atmosphere can effectively motivate employees to practice environmental behaviors [31]. As a pivotal theoretical framework in social cognition research, the Explanation Level Theory (ELT) is alternatively termed Construction Level Theory by some Chinese scholars. Its core proposition reveals that individuals maintain dual representation systems for the same cognitive object: High-level ELT tends to extract essential attributes like functional characteristics and value connotations, exhibiting pronounced abstraction and decontextualization in cognitive processing; conversely, Low-level ELT focuses on concrete features such as practical attributes and operational methods, demonstrating concrete and context-dependent cognitive traits. In the field of prosocial behavior research, ELT demonstrates unique explanatory power [32]. Research demonstrates a significant correlation between environmental value orientation and tourists' eco-friendly behaviors [33]. Data reveals that the environmental behavior intentions of national park visitors are driven by two psychological mechanisms: pro-environmental and self-interested factors [ 34 ]. Survey data indicates that student groups score significantly higher in ecological holism and altruistic values compared to egocentric values, reflecting their strong endorsement of concepts like harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, Earth conservation, and social equity [ 35 ]. People naturally develop emotional resonance in natural environments, which not only awakens empathy for ecosystems but also deepens identification with local ecological cultures and enhances voluntary actions. The emotional and cultural dimensions of ecological civilization construction are primarily manifested through ecological empathy and regional identity. These findings further confirm that both factors significantly promote environmental behaviors [ 36 ]. Pro-environmental behavior serves as a mediator between ecological values and ecotourism behavior. Previous studies have primarily relied on the Planned Behavior Theory and the Values-Beliefs-Norms (VBN) Theory to explain how pro-environmental behavior indirectly influences ecotourism behavior through this mediating mechanism [37]. Stern, who focused on environmental movements, developed the VBN Theory based on norm activation theory. This theory posits that an individual's norms, values, and beliefs can predict their pro-environmental behavior [ 38 ]. Compared to other mainstream theories, VBN demonstrates greater effectiveness in explaining the psychological mechanisms underlying environmental protection behaviors. In a 2018 study of hotel staff, Zientara and Zamojska found that ecological values, emotional identification, and an organization's green consumption culture effectively motivate employees to engage in pro-environmental behaviors, which in turn positively impact ecotourism [31]. Therefore, this study aligns with previous research findings. 4.4 The Chain Mediating Effect of Green Consumption Atmosphere and Pro-environmental Behavior Ecological theory in tourism destinations indicates that prioritizing economic gains over environmental protection during development may lead to ecological degradation and pollution. Therefore, sustainable tourism requires a holistic approach integrating ecological conservation, infrastructure, service systems, and tourism offerings. This involves enhancing ecological functions and reinforcing environmental protection to ensure long-term sustainability [ 39 ]. Furthermore, advancing ecotourism through coordinated industrial development and innovative business models is crucial [ 40 ]. Stern was among the earliest scholars to recognize the existence of distinct types of pro-environmental behaviors. He emphasized that individual actions should benefit others while also considering the interests of other organisms and the entire ecosystem [ 41 ]. Stern proposed classifying eco-friendly behaviors into public domain behaviors and private domain behaviors, which served as the primary framework for categorizing such behaviors. The underlying connection between these two types of behaviors lies in the fact that participation in public domain eco-friendly activities predicts private domain pro-environmental behaviors [ 42 ]. Ogato's research examines community engagement in urban sustainable ecotourism planning, while Badr highlights environmental challenges in ecotourism. Vilke's study identifies structural barriers to the launch and development of transformative ecotourism, with policies, community participation, and funding allocation being major obstacles to sustainable growth. Further research is needed to assess the feasibility and sustainability of ecotourism destinations affected by these factors, particularly in terms of regional and cultural dimensions [ 43 ]. Rustam et al. demonstrated that when assessing consumers' green consumption behaviors, researchers should incorporate variables such as environmental literacy and environmental awareness. This approach enables a more comprehensive understanding of consumers' values and emotions regarding green consumption, thereby addressing the irrational aspects in their decision-making processes [44]. Elhaffar et al. further noted that in studies addressing consumption gaps, frequently employed neutralization strategies may be offset by green consumption behaviors or reduced purchases of non-green products [ 45 ]. Hong et al. argue that under information asymmetry, consumers can only shift their attitudes and values toward green environmental protection through product information obtained via trusted marketing channels [46]. Attitude plays a pivotal role in guiding consumer behavior, influencing their motivations, decision-making processes, and final actions [18]. Kilbourne and Pickett found that environmental issues equally impact both public and private eco-friendly behaviors, with different factors exerting varying influences [ 47 ]. The initial time effect in non-conventional environments may explain the psychological black box behind changes in consumption preferences under environmental differences. A trip away from one's usual living environment serves as a psychological starting point for consumers, heralding a new beginning. Individuals with strong geographical mobility and identity flexibility typically demonstrate more inclusive and open-minded attitudes toward change, which makes them more likely to adjust or even alter their consumption habits [48]. Research findings indicate that green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behaviors can serve as chain mediators between ecological values and ecotourism. In the influence pathway of ecological values on ecotourism, incorporating green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behaviors positively predicts ecotourism. Green consumption atmosphere involves environmental factors such as external material conditions, socio-cultural background, and institutional norms [ 22 ], while pro-environmental behaviors—encompassing environmental attitudes, problem-solving awareness, and daily participation [ 11 ] can further influence ecotourism at the level of ecological values. Reverence emotions primarily indirectly drive environmental behaviors by shaping ecological values and strengthening local identity, with these two aspects being core elements in the transformation process [ 49 ]. Environmental behavior intentions are significantly positively influenced by environmental cognitive attitudes, personal moral principles, and perceived behavioral control [ 50 ]. The impact of green consumption atmosphere, which involves environmental factors, is even more pronounced, consistent with previous research [48], thus exerting profound influence on the ecological values and ecotourism behaviors of vocational college students. In short, ecological values and green consumption atmosphere, pro-environmental behavior, and eco-tourism behavior of vocational college students are significantly positive correlation. Green consumption atmosphere and eco-tourism behavior of vocational college students are significantly positive correlation with pro-environmental behavior. The green consumption atmosphere and the eco-tourism behavior of higher vocational students have a significant positive correlation. Green consumption atmosphere plays a mediating role between ecological values and eco-tourism behavior of higher vocational students. The pro-environmental behavior plays a mediating role between the ecological values and the eco-tourism behavior of the vocational college students. Green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behavior play a chain intermediary role between ecological values and eco-tourism behavior of vocational college students. 5. Limitations and Future Studies This study has several limitations. Firstly, as a cross-sectional study, it cannot establish definitive causal relationships. Future research could employ experimental designs or longitudinal tracking to further examine the impact of ecological values on college students' eco-tourism behaviors and their underlying mechanisms. Secondly, eco-tourism behavior is influenced by multiple factors including socio-cultural contexts, policy environments, and personal financial conditions. While this study primarily focuses on psychological factors, it inadequately considers external variables. Future research should therefore expand on existing studies to explore these multifaceted influences. Additionally, the study was limited to a small sample of college students from one provinces, suggesting the need for future research to increase both the survey sample size and geographical coverage. Declarations Author Contributions: Y.-Z.D.:Conceptualization,Methodology,Supervision,Validation,Reviewing,and Editing ; J.-B.F.:Software, Writin-Original Draft . All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Funding: Study on the Mechanism, Path and Policy of Green Consumption of Gen Z Youth in Fuqing of China(No.FQSK2524), the 2024 Fujian Polytechnic Normal University doctorate talent introduction project of China(No.40410401).The research design was not influenced by the funding sources. Ethics approval and consent to participate All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Fujian Polytechnic Normal University of China (No.2025-03) before data collection. Participants were informed of the study’s purpose, procedures, potential risks, and benefits. Written consent was obtained from all participants prior to their inclusion in the study. Informed Consent Statement: The surveys were administered by trained undergraduate students who obtained informed consent from the participants one week prior. Data Availability Statement: Data are available from the authors upon request. Acknowledgments: The authors wish to thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions on this manuscript,and all the respondents who participated in the survey. Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship,and/or publication of this article. References Ji Zijin. Research on Influencing Factors of Tourists' Environmental Responsibility Behavior [D]. Taiyuan: Taiyuan University of Technology, 2021. Lin Qiuyi. Narrative Study on Identity Recognition of Vocational College Students [D]. Kunming: Yunnan Minzu University, 2024. MAO Chunxiao. Research on the Cultivation of Ecological Values in Citizens in the New Era [D]. Harbin: Northeast Forestry University, 2024. Wang Jiaoyang. Research on the Integrated Path of Ecological Values Cultivation for Primary, Secondary, and Higher Education Students [D]. Mianyang: Southwest University of Science and Technology, 2024. Siddhartha A.Siddhartha A. 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Liobikienė, G.,Poškus, S. M. The importance of environmental knowledge for private and public sphere pro-environmental behavior: Modifying the Value-Belief-Norm Theory [J]. Sustainability, 2019, 11 (12): 3324-3324. Strizhakova, Y., Coulter, R. A., Price, L. L. The fresh start mindset: A cross-national investigation and implications for environmentally friendly global brands [J]. Journal of International Marketing, 2021, 29: 45-61. Ma Yongqiang, Zhang Sunbo, Wu Yaojie, et al. The Mechanism of Reverence on Tourists' Pro-environmental Behavior: A Case Study of Wuyishan National Park [J]. Forestry Economics, 2023,45(09):77-96. Zhang Yan. Research on the Formation Mechanism and Evolutionary Laws of Public Pro-environmental Behavior from the Perspective of China Culture [D]. Zhenjiang: Jiangsu University, 2024. Zan Xi, Wang Yang, Min Huifang, et al. Exploration of Nature Education and Ecotourism in Sichuan Mican Mountain National Nature Reserve [J]. Modern Horticulture, 2026,49(05):180-183. Zhang J. Integrated Development of Degraded Forest Restoration and Ecotourism: A Case Study of the Taihang Mountain Ecological Protection and Restoration Project in Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province [J]. China Forestry Industry, 2025, (04):9-10. Otterbring, T., Folwarczny, M., Sigurdsson, V. Prompting pro-environmentalism through social proof: Trait conscientiousness moderates the effect of social proof on consumers' pro-environmental responses[J].Personality and Individual Differences, 2026, 253 113629-113629. Zhang Wei, Xiao Jinlan. "Countermeasures for Improving College Students 'Pro-environmental Behavior under the Perspective of' Beautiful China'[J]. Modern Horticulture, 2026,49(05):151-153+156. Li Na, Cheng Jinan. Application Analysis of Landscape Planning and Design in Leisure Agriculture: A Case Study of an Ecological Tourism Resort in Shanxi Province [J]. Modern Horticulture, 2026,49(05):140-142. Li Yuhong. The Interactive Relationship Between Ecotourism and Ecological Ethics [J]. Strait Science, 2012, (06):63-65. Gao, M.,Kong, J.,Song, K., et al. Retraction Note: Environmental protection of rural ecotourism using PSR and MDP models [J]. Soft Computing, 2026, (prepublish): 1-1. Hadifar, S.,Amanollahi, J.,Emamgholi, L., et al. Investigating the threats of sustainable ecotourism by integrating the norms with GIS and remotely sensed data[J].Journal for Nature Conservation, 2026, 90 127198. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Chain Mediation Model of Green Consumption Atmosphere and Pro-environmental \u0026nbsp;Behavior in Ecological Values and Ecotourism Behavior\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8899220/v1/9db3a53d44e97e53e28d057a.png"},{"id":108610367,"identity":"29cb74ec-4ee8-44e5-93e5-feb44ba689f3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-06 12:57:09","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":383840,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8899220/v1/bd2934e5-1315-4aa6-ae34-6d10f69693dc.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"The Influence of Ecological Values on Ecotourism Behavior of Vocational College Students: Chain Mediation of Green Consumption Atmosphere and Pro-environmental Behavior","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn recent years, China\u0026apos;s spiritual civilization construction has been continuously deepened, and the public\u0026apos;s demands for a better life have been steadily increasing. As an important form of leisure and entertainment, tourism has played an increasingly significant role in people\u0026apos;s lives. With the continuous growth in tourist numbers and expanding consumer demand, the tourism industry has rapidly developed and become a vital pillar of the national economy. However, alongside the prosperity of tourism, environmental pressures have also significantly increased, and tourist activities have had a substantial impact on the ecological environment of tourist destinations. China\u0026apos;s 13th Five-Year Plan explicitly states that due to the environmental challenges posed by tourism, it is essential to fully leverage the role of the tourism industry in ecological civilization construction, vigorously develop ecotourism, and integrate the concept of green development into the entire tourism industry process to build a new modern tourism development model characterized by harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. Under these circumstances, the academic community has focused on the sustainable development of ecotourism as a key research subject, with scholars particularly emphasizing the environmental behaviors of tourists as the core elements of tourism activities [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNotably, existing academic research has insufficient attention to the potential role of vocational college students in the ecotourism industry. The underlying reason lies in the multi-tiered development of vocational education systems, which has led to continuous expansion of vocational education scale and significant growth in the student population. However, the marginalized status of this group in social structures remains fundamentally unaltered. Employment market data indicates that vocational college graduates face significant employment discrimination, with their job opportunities and salary levels generally lower than those of regular university graduates. The public\u0026apos;s excessive emphasis on academic credentials has long hindered vocational education\u0026apos;s social recognition from rivaling that of regular higher education [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. Yet as vital driving forces for social progress, vocational students \u0026apos;behavioral choices not only correlate with economic and social development but also exert broad societal impacts. In summary, research on ecotourism among vocational students provides crucial references for governments and scenic areas to guide tourists in adopting environmentally friendly behaviors, thereby promoting sustainable ecological development in scenic spots, green transformation of tourism, and ecological civilization construction. This research also enriches existing studies on tourists\u0026apos; environmental behaviors and broadens research scopes, offering additional insights for ecotourism development. These findings hold significant importance for improving China\u0026apos;s natural environment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEcological values have evolved through humanity\u0026apos;s long-standing practice of respecting natural laws and maintaining ecological balance. They embody our comprehensive understanding and fundamental attitude toward ecosystem value and the relationship between humans and nature. At their core, these values establish harmonious coexistence between humans and nature as a fundamental principle, with sustainable development serving as the guiding philosophy to foster resource-efficient and environmentally friendly production models and consumption patterns [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. The unique cognitive characteristics of humans inherently include value systems. Through conscious value judgments and choices, people continuously meet their developmental needs, gradually constructing stable value frameworks. Essentially, values represent fundamental perspectives and overall attitudes toward the value attributes of things, consistently guiding human decisions and providing crucial direction and regulation for practical activities [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. In conclusion, this paper defines ecological values as humanity\u0026apos;s rational understanding and value orientation toward the ecological environment, collectively manifesting our ecological value concepts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEcotourism is a distinctive form of travel that fulfills people\u0026apos;s desire to connect with nature while embodying profound reflections on ecological conservation and sustainable development. At its core, it aims to promote environmental protection, improve residents\u0026apos; livelihoods, and carries educational significance and experiential value. Its essence extends beyond simply admiring natural landscapes, encompassing the understanding of regional cultures, reverence for ecosystem preservation, and strict control of environmental footprints [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. In the current era of severe global ecological challenges, ecotourism is not merely a travel option but a crucial practice for humanity to explore sustainable development pathways [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]. In 1983, Lascurai of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) first proposed the concept of ecotourism and provided an academic definition. This innovative tourism approach enhances management and quality while ensuring biodiversity preservation, sustainable utilization of tourism resources, and ecological sustainability, ultimately achieving the goals of protecting natural ecosystems and practicing sustainable tourism principles [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]. In summary, this paper defines ecotourism as a travel behavior that bears dual responsibilities of protecting natural environments and safeguarding local communities\u0026apos; livelihoods.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe environmental ethics of ecotourism sustainable development centers on achieving fairness and harmony, encompassing two key aspects. First, humans must establish scientific values regarding tourism resources and cultural perspectives, while tourism stakeholders should fully recognize the crucial role of moral development in ecotourism advancement. Second, to improve environmental ethical constraints, it is essential to disseminate systematic moral norms to the public, including ecological protection guidelines, principles of sustainable resource utilization, environmental equity concepts, and responsibility awareness. This helps the public understand the importance of preserving scenic area ecosystems and achieving harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, while emphasizing that everyone must fulfill corresponding environmental obligations when enjoying resource usage rights [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. In summary, promoting moderate and green consumption during tourism development, enhancing public ecological awareness, and cultivating a group of environmental protection advocates can be achieved through environmental ethics education that promotes concepts like intergenerational equity, generational equity, and human-land equity. This leads to Hypothesis1: Ecological values can positively predict ecotourism behaviors among vocational college students.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreen tourism consumption is a sustainable consumption model that integrates environmental protection concepts into travel activities. It refers to tourists prioritizing eco-friendly products and services during trips to minimize ecological damage. This concept originated from sustainability research in architecture, transportation, and hospitality industries, reflecting low-carbon practices and technological innovations adopted by consumers and businesses in response to environmental challenges [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. In summary, this paper defines a green consumption atmosphere as a consumer environment where individuals make environmentally conscious choices based on environmental protection and related interests. Existing research data indicates that in high-quality green consumption atmospheres, initial behavioral intentions significantly promote ecotourism behaviors, while such effects are absent in weak atmospheres. Similarly, in high-quality green consumption atmospheres, ecological values strongly promote ecotourism behaviors with significant mediating effects, whereas in weak atmospheres, both factors show no significant correlation. Comparative analysis demonstrates that higher quality green consumption atmospheres strengthen the positive relationship between ecological values and ecotourism behaviors [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]. Specifically, better green consumption atmospheres enhance the positive connection between ecological values and ecotourism behaviors. Therefore, Hypothesis 2 proposes that green consumption atmosphere mediates the relationship between ecological values and ecotourism behaviors among vocational college students.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScholars have proposed diverse definitions of pro-environmental behavior. Stern characterized it as human activities aimed at protecting or preventing environmental damage, while Sivek et al. emphasized resource conservation, describing it as a behavioral pattern that reduces unnecessary resource consumption. Kollmuss et al. and Ramkissoon interpreted it from the perspective of damage control as proactive measures to minimize environmental negative impacts, and Lange et al. directly defined it as practical actions that positively influence ecosystems. Scholars have also proposed locally adapted definitions: Wu and Zhang et al. viewed it as manifestations of environmental attitudes, problem-solving awareness, and participatory behaviors in daily life, while Liu and other scholars highlighted its overall embodiment as active avoidance of environmentally destructive behaviors [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. In summary, this paper defines pro-environmental behavior as practical actions that promote ecological sustainability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePro-environmental behavior and ecotourism exhibit a strong correlation [\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. This study defines pro-environmental behavior as practices that promote ecological sustainability, while ecotourism refers to tourism activities that fulfill dual responsibilities of preserving natural environments and sustaining local livelihoods. Research indicates that tourists\u0026apos; ecotourism intentions are driven by two psychological mechanisms: prosocial and self-serving factors. While egocentric values weaken self-regulation behaviors, ecological values not only reinforce self-discipline but also enhance proactive conservation efforts\u0026mdash;a finding consistent with domestic and international empirical research. Based on these findings, Hypothesis 3 proposes that pro-environmental behavior mediates the relationship between ecological values and ecotourism behaviors among vocational college students.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a high-level green consumption atmosphere, ecological values significantly positively influence green tourism consumption behavior. However, in a low-level green consumption atmosphere, ecological values show no significant impact on green tourism consumption behavior, and the mediating effect is not significant. In summary, the research data indicate that ecological values have a positive impact on the eco-tourism behavior of vocational college students. Moreover, the green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behavior mutually influence each other, and both exert positive effects on vocational college students \u0026apos;eco-tourism behavior when ecological values are at a high level. Ecological values also positively influence both the green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behavior. Based on these findings, Hypothesis 4 is proposed: The green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behavior serve as chain mediating factors between ecological values and vocational college students\u0026apos; eco-tourism behavior.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1.Participants and Procedure\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe paper takes the students of higher vocational colleges as the object, and adopts the method of questionnaire survey. The surveys were conducted in Oct 2025(from 1/10/2025 to 30/10/2025). The questionnaire is randomly distributed to about 700 students of higher vocational colleges, and 650 questionnaires are collected. Through statistics, the invalid data such as too short, too long, and regular answer are screened out, and 600 valid questionnaires are finally collected, and the recovery rate is 92.3%. The participants comprised 388 males (64.66%) and 212 females (35.34%), with distribution as follows: freshmen (205,34.16%), sophomores (213,35.50%), and juniors (182,30.34%). The age range of participants was 18\u0026ndash;21 years (mean age: 19.15\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.21 years). This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Fujian Polytechnic Normal University of China (No.2025-03) before data collection. All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations. Participants were informed of the study\u0026rsquo;s purpose, procedures, potential risks, and benefits. Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their inclusion in the study.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2 Measures\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2.1.Resident Ecological Values Scale\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Resident Ecological Values Scale (RESV) was developed by Gao Chenling, referencing the established scale by Stern et al. (2003) and adapted to the study context. It comprises 10 items with a 5-point rating scale, including two reverse-score items [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]. In this study, the scale demonstrated a Cronbach's α of 0.85.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2.2Low-carbon Tourism Behavior Scale\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Low-carbon Tourism Behavior Scale (LCTBS) was developed by Chen Lili, building upon the dimensional framework established by Huang Xueli et al. The scale comprises three dimensions\u0026mdash;conservation-oriented, purchase-oriented, and reduction-oriented low-carbon tourism behaviors\u0026mdash;totaling 12 items. It measures tourists 'low-carbon tourism behavior tendencies using a 5-point scale, with all items being positive-weighted, where higher scores indicate stronger behavioral tendencies [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]. In this study, the scale demonstrated a Cronbach's α of 0.95.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2.3 Green Consumption Atmosphere Scale\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Green Consumption Atmosphere Scale was adapted from the questionnaire items used in Pan Hao et al. 's study, tailored to the research objectives of this paper. Pan Hao et al.' s study focused on green tourism consumption, and their scale aligned with the research theme, comprising 4 items with 5-point scoring. All items were positive, with no negative items [15]. In this study, the Cronbach's α of the scale was 0.85.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2.4 Environmental Behavior Scale\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe design of measurement items for the Environmental Behavior Scale draws on the research of He Yunmeng et al., collecting information descriptions about hotel customers 'environmentally friendly behaviors from real life, online reviews, literature, and the \"China Citizens' Domestic Tourism Civilized Behavior Convention.\" Based on the actual situation of the hotel industry and the main research objectives of this paper, the direction and content of the item design process for hotel customers 'environmentally friendly behaviors were comprehensively grasped. The introduced scale was adjusted to determine two dimensions with 8 items: low-effort environmentally friendly behavior and high-effort environmentally friendly behavior. A 7-point scoring system was adopted, with no reverse scoring items [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. In this study, the Cronbach's α of the scale was 0.95.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1 Common Method Bias\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSince this study tested four variables, potential common method bias may arise. To mitigate this issue, the following principles were implemented during the initial phase: participants were informed of the questionnaire's confidentiality prior to measurement, and items employing reverse scoring were included. After completing data collection, Harman's single-factor test was applied for principal component analysis. The results revealed four factors with eigenvalues above 1.0, among which the first factor accounted for 24.6% variance\u0026mdash;a relatively low percentage compared to the 40% threshold. Therefore, this study demonstrates no significant common method bias, enabling reliable statistical analysis of the data.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis of variables\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eDescriptive statistics and correlation analysis of variables were conducted using the Pearson correlation coefficient method for bivariate association testing. The results of two-sided significance testing are as follows (see Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e for detailed analysis): Ecological values showed a significant positive correlation with ecotourism (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.67, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Ecological values exhibited a significant positive correlation with green consumption atmosphere (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.65, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Ecological values demonstrated a significant positive correlation with pro-environmental behavior (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.71, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Ecotourism showed a significant positive correlation with both green consumption atmosphere (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.64, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and pro-environmental behavior (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.66, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Green consumption atmosphere demonstrated a significant positive correlation with pro-environmental behavior (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.73, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). In summary, ecological values exhibited pairwise positive correlations with ecotourism, green consumption atmosphere, and pro-environmental behavior.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDescriptive statistics and correlation analysis of variables\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"8\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003evariable,\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSD\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.ecological values\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.82\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.ecotourism behavior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.35\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.green consumption atmosphere\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.38\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.09\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.65\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.64\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.pro-environmental behavior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.47\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.57\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.71\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.66\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.73\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"8\"\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cem\u003e*\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt;0.05 \u003csup\u003e\u003cem\u003e**\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt;0.01 \u003csup\u003e\u003cem\u003e***\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt;0.001\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.3.2 Chain Mediation Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eUsing the SPSS statistical software and the chain mediation model with the Process plugin, combined with the Bootstrap repeated sampling technique, we validated the mediating pathways between variables, yielding the following results.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe direct effect between ecological values and ecotourism behavior is statistically significant (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.34, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), indicating that ecological values can significantly predict ecotourism behavior. Additionally, ecological values positively predict the green consumption atmosphere (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.65, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and environmentally friendly behavior (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.41, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). The green consumption atmosphere also positively predicts environmentally friendly behavior (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.45, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and ecotourism behavior (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.24, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Furthermore, environmentally friendly behavior significantly predicts ecotourism behavior (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.23, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChain Mediation of Green Consumption Atmosphere and Pro-environmen between Ecological Values and Ecotourism Behavior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"10\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003epredictive variable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eR\u003c/em\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cem\u003e2\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eF\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eβ\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSes\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLLCI\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eULCI\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eequation1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGreen Consumption Atmosphere\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEcological Values\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.43\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e446.68\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21.13\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.31\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.37\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eequation2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePro-environment behavior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEcological Values\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGreen Consumption Atmosphere\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 .63\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e513.23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.41\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.45\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.09\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.70\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.94\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 .53\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.73\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eequation3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEcotourism Behavior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEcological Values\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGreen Consumption Atmosphere\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePro-environment behavior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 .55\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e246.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.34\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.24\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.06\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.04\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.51\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.92\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.25\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.41\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.48\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.97\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eequation4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEcotourism Behavior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEcological Values\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e510.48\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.04\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22.59\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.97\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results show that the ecological values have an impact on ecotourism through three intermediary routes: ecological values\u0026rarr;green consumption atmosphere\u0026rarr;ecotourism behavior, ecological values\u0026rarr;pro-environment behavior\u0026rarr;ecotourism behavior, and ecological values\u0026rarr;green consumption atmosphere\u0026rarr;pro-environment behavior\u0026rarr;ecotourism behavior.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe first path, with green consumption atmosphere as the mediator, shows an indirect effect in the Bootstrap95% confidence interval of [0.13,0.38] (excluding 0), indicating a significant mediating effect between ecological values and ecotourism, with an effect size of 0.25 and BootSE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.06. The second path, using pro-environmental behavior as the mediator, demonstrates a significant mediating effect between ecological values and ecotourism, with an effect size of 0.15 and BootSE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.04, within the [0.07,0.25] interval (excluding 0). The third path, mediating through both green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behavior, shows an overall significant effect with an effect size of 0.11 and BootSE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.03, within the [0.05,0.17] interval (excluding 0).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe comprehensive analysis demonstrates that green consumption culture and pro-environment behaviors exhibit a chain-mediated effect in the process of ecological values influencing ecotourism. Meanwhile, green consumption culture alone plays a mediating role in the pathway from ecological values to ecotourism behavior. Data analysis reveals that the total mediation effect (0.52\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;indirect effect 1\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;indirect effect 2\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;indirect effect 3) has a 95% confidence interval [0.39,0.66] obtained through Bootstrap testing that does not contain zero, indicating statistically significant mediating pathways. The direct effect (0.54) also shows a confidence interval [0.41,0.67] without crossing zero, confirming its significance. Notably, the total effect (1.06) has a confidence interval [0.97,1.15] that does not include zero, corroborating previous findings and validating the model's robustness. Statistical results indicate that both mediation and direct effects are statistically significant, demonstrating a complete chain-mediated pathway between ecological values and ecotourism among vocational college students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBootstrap analysis for testing the significance of mediating effects\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eeffect type\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eeffect size\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBoot SE\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e95% confidence interval\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eeffect size\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLICI\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eULCI\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003etotal effect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.06\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.04\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.97\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003edirect effect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.54\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.06\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.41\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50.94%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003etotal indirect effect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.06\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.66\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49.05%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndirect Effect 1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.06\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.38\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e48.07%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndirect Effect 2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.04\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.07\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28.84%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndirect Effect 3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.03\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21.15%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.09\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.09\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.30%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.07\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.29\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26.92%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.04\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.03\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.008\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.69%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndirect Effect 1: Ecological Values \u0026rarr; Green Consumption Atmosphere \u0026rarr; Ecotourism Behavior;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndirect Effect 2: Ecological Values \u0026rarr; Pro-environmental Behavior \u0026rarr; Ecotourism Behavior;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndirect Effect 3: Ecological Values \u0026rarr; Green Consumption Atmosphere \u0026rarr; Pro-environmental Behavior \u0026rarr; Ecotourism Behavior\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Discussion and Conclusions","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.1 Relationships between variables\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study investigates the impact of ecological values on ecotourism through a series of analyses, constructing a corresponding model that ultimately reveals a chain-mediated effect model with green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behavior as key components in the process of ecological values influencing ecotourism behavior among vocational college students. The research data further demonstrates a strong positive correlation (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.67) between ecological values and ecotourism behavior in this student population, with the direct effect reaching statistical significance, indicating a stable relationship between the two. The constructed chain-mediated model reveals significant bidirectional associations among all variables. Previous studies on green consumption atmosphere [16] and pro-environmental behavior [17] have also examined their correlations.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe research demonstrates that vocational students 'green consumption attitudes and pro-environmental behaviors serve as a chain intermediary between ecological values and ecotourism behavior. Notably, there is a significant correlation between individual green consumption attitudes and pro-environmental behaviors, with psychological factors playing a pivotal role in guiding behavioral patterns. These factors influence motivation, decision-making processes, and final actions [18], indicating that the formation of personal values critically shapes behavioral choices. Ecological values have evolved through humanity's long-standing practice of respecting natural laws and maintaining ecological balance. When vocational students develop ecological awareness and accurately grasp the core principles of ecological values, they naturally adopt pro-environmental behaviors, with ecotourism behavior being a concrete manifestation of such behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBoth the green consumption culture and pro-environmental behaviors can effectively promote sustainable practices. While conventional consumption patterns may overlook environmental considerations, environmental factors should be the primary consideration in tourism-related decisions. It is crucial to recognize that tourism resources are finite and cannot be perpetually replenished. Therefore, promoting green consumption concepts and implementing sustainable development measures are fundamental to ensuring the tourism industry's long-term healthy growth [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch data demonstrates that ecological values significantly enhance ecotourism behavior in high-quality green consumption atmospheres, whereas this effect is absent in weaker environmental contexts. Within high-quality green consumption atmospheres, ecological values exhibit strong positive effects on ecotourism behavior with significant mediating effects, while both factors show no significant correlation in weaker environments. Comparative analysis confirms that higher green consumption atmosphere quality correlates more closely with positive ecological values and ecotourism behavior [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. If green consumption atmosphere quality serves as a moderating factor, then pro-environmental behaviors act as a driving force in this process.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.2 The Mediating Role of Green Consumption Atmosphere\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn 1987, John and Julia pioneered the concept of green consumption, defining it as a sustainable consumption model that avoids environmental pollution, minimizes natural resource depletion, and benefits both individuals and society [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e]. Caroline characterized green consumption as an eco-friendly approach, while Peattie's 2010 research emphasized that its essence lies in achieving a dynamic balance between human needs and ecological conservation under the principles of sustainable development [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. In 2000, Stern's research identified environmental situational factors as mediators between attitudes and behaviors, establishing the Attitude-Situation-Behavior Theory. This framework posits that individual behavioral choices are not solely determined by intrinsic attitudes or extrinsic environments, but rather result from their combined effects. Attitudes refer to persistent psychological inclinations toward specific matters or behaviors, encompassing three dimensions: cognitive evaluation, emotional responses, and behavioral intentions. Situational factors include external material conditions, socio-cultural contexts, institutional norms, and other environmental elements [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]. The dynamic mechanism through which attitudes and situations influence behavior has been elucidated: when environmental constraints are weak, behavior is primarily governed by personal attitudes. In environmental protection behaviors, external environmental factors often exert greater influence than individual attitudes [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe rational behavior theory, first proposed by Fishbein and Ajzen, forms the foundation of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework. It posits that behavioral intention is the sole determinant of human actions, assuming that people process information through rational analysis [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. Although this theoretical model was widely applied in early research on green consumption willingness, it is limited to idealized rational decision-making scenarios, as consumers' actual decisions are often influenced by emotional factors. In 1991, Ajzen proposed the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to address this gap by incorporating irrational factors to some extent. TPB posits that actual behavior is directly determined by behavioral intentions, which are shaped by three dimensions: behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control [25]. Attitudes are associated with the evaluation of positive and negative consequences of behavior. Subjective norms refer to the perception of societal expectations regarding behavior. Finally, perceived behavioral control stems from an individual's assessment of their ability to engage in the behavior [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompared to the Theory of Attributive Behavior (TRA), the Theory of Perceived Behavioral Control (TPB) incorporates the variable of perceived behavioral control and integrates consumers 'past experiences and expectations into its framework, thereby partially addressing irrational decision-making issues. However, scholars such as Qi Haifeng have pointed out that TPB's behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control still fall within the realm of rational decision-making and fail to adequately explain how irrational factors like moral consciousness, environmental emotions, and situational stimuli influence consumption willingness and behavior [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe eco-tourism behaviors of vocational college students are shaped by their initial ecological values. In this context, the green consumption climate acts as a mediator between these values and eco-tourism behaviors. Specifically, the green consumption climate moderates both the direct effects and the latter part of the mediating effects. This means that a stronger green consumption climate enhances the positive correlation between ecological values and eco-tourism behaviors. Moreover, the green consumption climate exhibits positive correlations with both ecological values and eco-tourism [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.3 Mediating Role of Pro-environmental Behavior\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn 1977, Schwartz developed the Norm Activation Theory, which posits that effective activation of moral norms significantly promotes prosocial behavior. The theory emphasizes that the activation process is fundamentally determined by an individual's awareness of behavioral consequences and the strength of their sense of responsibility, specifically manifested through two core variables: consequence awareness and responsibility attribution [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. In 2018, Melo et al. demonstrated that environmental attitudes and other cognitive factors influence environmental behavior conditionally, with their actual effects closely tied to individual psychological time perception and objective time constraints [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e]. Di Feifei's 2018 empirical analysis revealed that women exhibit stronger environmental behavior tendencies than men, and individuals with higher incomes, better health, and greater life satisfaction also demonstrate stronger environmental behavior intentions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e]. Zientara and Zamojska's 2018 study of hotel employees found that ecological values, emotional identification, and the organizational environmental culture atmosphere can effectively motivate employees to practice environmental behaviors [31].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs a pivotal theoretical framework in social cognition research, the Explanation Level Theory (ELT) is alternatively termed Construction Level Theory by some Chinese scholars. Its core proposition reveals that individuals maintain dual representation systems for the same cognitive object: High-level ELT tends to extract essential attributes like functional characteristics and value connotations, exhibiting pronounced abstraction and decontextualization in cognitive processing; conversely, Low-level ELT focuses on concrete features such as practical attributes and operational methods, demonstrating concrete and context-dependent cognitive traits. In the field of prosocial behavior research, ELT demonstrates unique explanatory power [32].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch demonstrates a significant correlation between environmental value orientation and tourists' eco-friendly behaviors [33]. Data reveals that the environmental behavior intentions of national park visitors are driven by two psychological mechanisms: pro-environmental and self-interested factors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]. Survey data indicates that student groups score significantly higher in ecological holism and altruistic values compared to egocentric values, reflecting their strong endorsement of concepts like harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, Earth conservation, and social equity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. People naturally develop emotional resonance in natural environments, which not only awakens empathy for ecosystems but also deepens identification with local ecological cultures and enhances voluntary actions. The emotional and cultural dimensions of ecological civilization construction are primarily manifested through ecological empathy and regional identity. These findings further confirm that both factors significantly promote environmental behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePro-environmental behavior serves as a mediator between ecological values and ecotourism behavior. Previous studies have primarily relied on the Planned Behavior Theory and the Values-Beliefs-Norms (VBN) Theory to explain how pro-environmental behavior indirectly influences ecotourism behavior through this mediating mechanism [37]. Stern, who focused on environmental movements, developed the VBN Theory based on norm activation theory. This theory posits that an individual's norms, values, and beliefs can predict their pro-environmental behavior [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e]. Compared to other mainstream theories, VBN demonstrates greater effectiveness in explaining the psychological mechanisms underlying environmental protection behaviors. In a 2018 study of hotel staff, Zientara and Zamojska found that ecological values, emotional identification, and an organization's green consumption culture effectively motivate employees to engage in pro-environmental behaviors, which in turn positively impact ecotourism [31]. Therefore, this study aligns with previous research findings.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.4 The Chain Mediating Effect of Green Consumption Atmosphere and Pro-environmental Behavior\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eEcological theory in tourism destinations indicates that prioritizing economic gains over environmental protection during development may lead to ecological degradation and pollution. Therefore, sustainable tourism requires a holistic approach integrating ecological conservation, infrastructure, service systems, and tourism offerings. This involves enhancing ecological functions and reinforcing environmental protection to ensure long-term sustainability [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e]. Furthermore, advancing ecotourism through coordinated industrial development and innovative business models is crucial [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eStern was among the earliest scholars to recognize the existence of distinct types of pro-environmental behaviors. He emphasized that individual actions should benefit others while also considering the interests of other organisms and the entire ecosystem [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e]. Stern proposed classifying eco-friendly behaviors into public domain behaviors and private domain behaviors, which served as the primary framework for categorizing such behaviors. The underlying connection between these two types of behaviors lies in the fact that participation in public domain eco-friendly activities predicts private domain pro-environmental behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOgato's research examines community engagement in urban sustainable ecotourism planning, while Badr highlights environmental challenges in ecotourism. Vilke's study identifies structural barriers to the launch and development of transformative ecotourism, with policies, community participation, and funding allocation being major obstacles to sustainable growth. Further research is needed to assess the feasibility and sustainability of ecotourism destinations affected by these factors, particularly in terms of regional and cultural dimensions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]. Rustam et al. demonstrated that when assessing consumers' green consumption behaviors, researchers should incorporate variables such as environmental literacy and environmental awareness. This approach enables a more comprehensive understanding of consumers' values and emotions regarding green consumption, thereby addressing the irrational aspects in their decision-making processes [44]. Elhaffar et al. further noted that in studies addressing consumption gaps, frequently employed neutralization strategies may be offset by green consumption behaviors or reduced purchases of non-green products [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHong et al. argue that under information asymmetry, consumers can only shift their attitudes and values toward green environmental protection through product information obtained via trusted marketing channels [46]. Attitude plays a pivotal role in guiding consumer behavior, influencing their motivations, decision-making processes, and final actions [18]. Kilbourne and Pickett found that environmental issues equally impact both public and private eco-friendly behaviors, with different factors exerting varying influences [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e]. The initial time effect in non-conventional environments may explain the psychological black box behind changes in consumption preferences under environmental differences. A trip away from one's usual living environment serves as a psychological starting point for consumers, heralding a new beginning.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndividuals with strong geographical mobility and identity flexibility typically demonstrate more inclusive and open-minded attitudes toward change, which makes them more likely to adjust or even alter their consumption habits [48]. Research findings indicate that green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behaviors can serve as chain mediators between ecological values and ecotourism. In the influence pathway of ecological values on ecotourism, incorporating green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behaviors positively predicts ecotourism. Green consumption atmosphere involves environmental factors such as external material conditions, socio-cultural background, and institutional norms [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e], while pro-environmental behaviors\u0026mdash;encompassing environmental attitudes, problem-solving awareness, and daily participation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e] can further influence ecotourism at the level of ecological values. Reverence emotions primarily indirectly drive environmental behaviors by shaping ecological values and strengthening local identity, with these two aspects being core elements in the transformation process [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e]. Environmental behavior intentions are significantly positively influenced by environmental cognitive attitudes, personal moral principles, and perceived behavioral control [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e]. The impact of green consumption atmosphere, which involves environmental factors, is even more pronounced, consistent with previous research [48], thus exerting profound influence on the ecological values and ecotourism behaviors of vocational college students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn short, ecological values and green consumption atmosphere, pro-environmental behavior, and eco-tourism behavior of vocational college students are significantly positive correlation. Green consumption atmosphere and eco-tourism behavior of vocational college students are significantly positive correlation with pro-environmental behavior. The green consumption atmosphere and the eco-tourism behavior of higher vocational students have a significant positive correlation. Green consumption atmosphere plays a mediating role between ecological values and eco-tourism behavior of higher vocational students. The pro-environmental behavior plays a mediating role between the ecological values and the eco-tourism behavior of the vocational college students. Green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behavior play a chain intermediary role between ecological values and eco-tourism behavior of vocational college students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"5. Limitations and Future Studies","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study has several limitations. Firstly, as a cross-sectional study, it cannot establish definitive causal relationships. Future research could employ experimental designs or longitudinal tracking to further examine the impact of ecological values on college students' eco-tourism behaviors and their underlying mechanisms. Secondly, eco-tourism behavior is influenced by multiple factors including socio-cultural contexts, policy environments, and personal financial conditions. While this study primarily focuses on psychological factors, it inadequately considers external variables. Future research should therefore expand on existing studies to explore these multifaceted influences. Additionally, the study was limited to a small sample of college students from one provinces, suggesting the need for future research to increase both the survey sample size and geographical coverage.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contributions:\u003c/strong\u003e Y.-Z.D.:Conceptualization,Methodology,Supervision,Validation,Reviewing,and Editing\u0026nbsp;;\u0026nbsp;J.-B.F.:Software,\u0026nbsp;Writin-Original\u0026nbsp;Draft .\u0026nbsp;All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eStudy\u0026nbsp;on the Mechanism, Path and Policy of Green Consumption of Gen Z Youth in Fuqing\u0026nbsp;of China(No.FQSK2524),\u0026nbsp;the 2024 Fujian Polytechnic Normal University doctorate talent introduction project of China(No.40410401).The research design was not influenced by the funding sources.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations. This study was approved by\u0026nbsp;the Institutional Review Board (IRB)\u0026nbsp;at\u0026nbsp;Fujian Polytechnic Normal University of China (No.2025-03)\u0026nbsp;before data collection. Participants were informed of the study\u0026rsquo;s purpose, procedures, potential risks, and benefits. Written consent was obtained from all participants prior to their inclusion in the study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformed Consent Statement:\u003c/strong\u003e The surveys were administered by trained undergraduate students who obtained informed consent from the participants one week prior.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability Statement:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eData are available from the authors upon request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgments:\u003c/strong\u003e The authors wish to thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions on this manuscript,and all the respondents who participated in the survey.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflicts of Interest:\u003c/strong\u003e The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship,and/or publication of this article.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJi Zijin. 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Investigating the threats of sustainable ecotourism by integrating the norms with GIS and remotely sensed data[J].Journal for Nature Conservation, 2026, 90 127198.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"ecological values, ecotourism behavior, green consumption atmosphere, pro-environmental behavior","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8899220/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8899220/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study investigates the impact of ecological values on eco-tourism behaviors among vocational college students, and examines whether green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behaviors serve as chain mediators between ecological values and eco-tourism behaviors. Using the Resident Ecological Values Scale, Low-Carbon Tourism Behavior Scale, Green Consumption Atmosphere Scale, and Pro-environmental Behavior Scale, 600 vocational college students were surveyed. The findings reveal: (1) Significant positive correlations exist among ecological values, eco-tourism behaviors, green consumption atmosphere, and pro-environmental behaviors; (2) Ecological values positively predict eco-tourism behaviors; (3) Firstly, green consumption atmosphere mediates the relationship between ecological values and eco-tourism behaviors; secondly, pro-environmental behaviors also mediate this relationship; thirdly, the chain structure formed by green consumption atmosphere and pro-environmental behaviors further mediates the relationship between ecological values and eco-tourism behaviors.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"The Influence of Ecological Values on Ecotourism Behavior of Vocational College Students: Chain Mediation of Green Consumption Atmosphere and Pro-environmental Behavior","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-27 16:57:51","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8899220/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"679c8b68-418d-4a70-be8b-7f6f56853990","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 27th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"decision","content":"Withdrawn","date":"2026-05-06T12:42:19+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":63536643,"name":"Biological sciences/Ecology"},{"id":63536644,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Ecology"},{"id":63536645,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences"},{"id":63536646,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental social sciences"},{"id":63536647,"name":"Biological sciences/Psychology"},{"id":63536648,"name":"Social science/Psychology"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-06T12:55:17+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-27 16:57:51","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8899220","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8899220","identity":"rs-8899220","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}