Environmental concern and pro-environmental behaviour of religious site visitors: the mediating role of spiritual motivation

This study focuses on Environmental Concern and questions the role that Spiritual Motivation plays in its relationship with Pro-Environmental Behaviour. Drawing upon a sample of approximately 592 individuals who have visited Assisi (Italy), a covariance-based structural equation model (SEM) is developed. The results reveal that Environmental Concern positively impacts Pro-Environmental Behaviour, and Spiritual Motivation mediates this relationship. For younger and more-educated visitors, the influence of Environmental Concern on Pro-Environmental Behaviour is stronger than other groups. Notably, Spiritual Motivation is a mediator within this relationship for all visitor groups considered, yet the mediation effect is more pronounced for older and less-educated visitors.