Fostering opinion leaders' pro-environmental behaviour: examining the mediating role of social media expression and the moderating role of mianzi

This study examines how Chinese citizens' leadership qualities relate to their intention to engage in pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) and how socio-cultural factors, mianzi (face), may affect this relationship. By conducting a national survey (N = 995) among Chinese social media users, this study finds that those with higher opinion leadership report higher intention to engage in both public-sphere and private-sphere PEBs. Self-perceived opinion leaders are also more willing to express themselves on social media, which consequently promotes their public-sphere PEB intention but not private-sphere PEB intention. In this process, perceived interpersonal trust strengthens opinion leaders' expressive behaviours on social media. Meanwhile, Mianzi is more effective in boosting non-opinion leaders' intention to engage in private-sphere PEBs, catching up with self-perceived opinion leaders. These findings shed light on the differences between public- and private-sphere PEBs and provide both theoretical and practical implications for promoting PEB intentions in the Chinese context.