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This study aims to investigate the effect of prosocial values on pro-environmental behaviours via attitudes in which environmental knowledge and proself values moderate the relationship. This study also examines the application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Cognitive Dissonance.

This study employed a quantitative method to examine potential positive or negative moderating effects of environmental knowledge and proself values on environmental attitudes and behaviour. Participants were undergraduate students recruited from a state university in the eastern part of Indonesia. The online survey link was randomly sent to 500 students in 14 different Faculties with a response rate of 57% (285) participants (80% female). Data were analysed using a moderated-mediation regression technique.

The results suggested that only biospheric value positively affected pro-environmental behaviours. Environmental knowledge negatively moderated the relationship between prosocial values and environmental attitudes. Similarly, high egoistic value potentially reduced the effect of environmental attitude on pro-environmental behaviours. Environmental knowledge could impede the positive impacts of prosocial values while egoistic value negates the effect of attitude on pro-environmental attitude.

Although the findings supported most hypotheses, this study did not control the effect of some demographic variables such as education and social-economic status. Participants tended to share some similar characteristics, which potentially influenced the results.

This study challenged some common antecedents of pro-environmental behaviours and offered some alternative explanations. This study has offered a new insight in understanding unique interactions among values, knowledge and attitude.