Effects of monetary and nonmonetary incentives in Individual Low-carbon Behavior Rewarding System on recycling behaviors: The role of perceived environmental responsibility

Nowadays, many governments and companies are aware of the role of incentives in encouraging individuals' low-carbon behaviors. Individual Low-carbon Behavior Rewarding System (ILBRS) is a currently piloted measure in China, whose aim is to encourage public participation in low-carbon behavior through incentives. However, there is little literature evaluating effectiveness of the reward mechanism of ILBRS. In this paper, based on previous studies on incentives, we compared the effect of monetary and nonmonetary incentives on low-carbon behaviors. Moreover, we examined these incentives' effect on driving different types of recycling behaviors: high-willingness behaviors (e.g., bringing your own shopping bags) and low-willingness behaviors (e.g., bringing your own cutlery), and explored the psychological process driving the effect. The results of three empirical studies indicated that for low-willingness recycling behaviors, both incentives are effective in increasing participants' willingness, with nonmonetary incentives being more effective. For high-willingness behaviors, neither monetary incentives nor nonmonetary incentives can further increase the original willingness. Perceived environmental responsibility plays a mediating role to explain the influence of nonmonetary incentives on low-willingness recycling behaviors. Our study provides practical insights for the improvement of ILBRS design, answers how incentives can achieve better results, and contributes to global ecological governance as well.