Saving for the future? Integrating time orientations into the norm-activation model of utility-saving behavior

Resource management involves a temporal concern over long- and short-term consequences. It is underexplored how resource conservation behaviors can be influenced by individual differences in consideration of future consequences (CFC), which reflects how people perceive the immediate versus distant outcomes of their actions. By integrating individuals' time orientations (i.e. CFC) into the value-belief-norm framework, the study investigated the norm activation process in utility-saving behavior. Survey data from 996 residents in Guangzhou, China, were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLSSEM). The results indicated that, compared to the low-CFC group, high-CFC individuals showed greater awareness of consequences, which in turn activated personal norms for utility saving through the ascription of responsibilities. The findings underscore how time orientations shape utility-saving behavior through environmental beliefs, offering insights for designing tailored interventions to induce behaviors that generate immediate personal outcomes and long-term environmental consequences.