Moderating role of locus of control over health belief model: a study of horticulturists’ protective behavior

• Published in: Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.) Vol. 42; no. 20; pp. 17008 - 17019
• Main Authors: Karami, Roya, Ahmadi, Nasrin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.07.2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Behavior; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Chemicals; Disease prevention; Health aspects; Health behavior; Horticulturists; Occupational hazards; Pesticides; Psychological research; Psychology; Social Sciences; Iran; Perceived profit; Locus of control; Horticulturist; Perceived threat; Protective behavior; Health belief model
• ISSN: 1046-1310; 1936-4733
• DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-02928-z

The widespread prevalence of using chemical substances such as fertilizers and pesticides in garden threatens the health of horticulturists. This study aimed to investigate the underlying elements of protective behavior of horticulturists from psychological aspects. The health Belief Model is the theoretical basis of this study and moderating the role of locus of control is explored over the model. The target population of study was horticulturists of Zanjan County, Iran. A questionnaire was distributed among a random sample of 293, who were selected using multi stage stratified sampling. The study results revealed that all elements of the proposed theory significantly influence the protective behavior. Furthermore, the study results confirmed the moderating effects of locus of control on the path relation between perceived profit and cues to action with protective behavior. The suggestions to improve protective behavior for individual with internal and external locus of control are presented. Highlights • The Health Belief Model as a model that explains why individuals do not participate in protecting their health used in this study to design educational interventions to prevent gardeners’ health risks. • The study results revealed that all elements of proposed theory include: perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action significantly influence the protective behavior. • The locus of control moderated the path relation between perceived profit and cues to action with protective behavior. • Perceived threat, which in this study was conceptualized as a person’s mental belief about the chance of being susceptible to potential danger and the severity of the danger, showed a significant influence on the protective behavior of gardeners for both groups of individuals with high internal and external locus of control.