A model of psychological and situational factors affecting water consumption was specified and tested. 500 individuals living at two cities of Sonora, Mexico were the subjects for this study. One of those cities experienced a chronic scarcity of water, while the other one had a sufficient supply of the liquid. Direct observations of individuals' water consumption (in different activities) and of their conservation skills were conducted. Also, their utilitarian beliefs regarding the use of water, and their conservation motives were assessed using a questionnaire. The possession of furniture for using water was considered as one situational factor promoting water consumption, and water scarcity was considered as a potential inhibitor of that consumption. These variables were incorporated in a structural model. Results of this model revealed that water consumption was significantly and positively influenced by utilitarian beliefs and the possession of furniture, while conservation motives, conservation skills and water scarcity inhibited such consumption. Conservation motives were positively affected by water scarcity and conservation skills, and negatively influenced by utilitarian beliefs. Significant covariances between the determinants of water consumption revealed the interdependence of situational and psychological variables affecting water use.
water conservation; environmental psychology; situational variables; structural equation models
