Interactive effects of two-way information and perceived convenience on waste separation behavior: Evidence from residents in eastern China

Citizens' waste separation behavior is crucial for recycling. Prior studies have not considered the directions of information in the context of social interactions in this domain, and thus have failed to capture the interactive effects of information and perceived convenience. To address this gap in the literature, we propose an interaction model to detect the effects of two-way interactive information on the waste separation behavior of residents in different contexts of perceived convenience. A multi-agent simulation is conducted using data collected from 3257 residents in eastern China. The results indicate that greater intensity of information can induce residents to separate waste, with a minimum rate of behavioral change of 20%. Perceived convenience promotes waste separation; when perceived convenience was high, about 85% of residents chose to separate waste. Further, the effect of intensity ratio on the number of residents separating waste decreased as perceived convenience decreased. Interestingly, in the context of low perceived convenience, negative information appeared to be irrelevant because the intensity of the information made no evident difference to residents' behavioral choices. The results verify the differentiated effect of interactive information and perceived convenience on people's behaviors, and provide new ideas relevant to customizing waste separation promotion policies in contexts with differing levels of perceived convenience.