Document Type : علمی
Authors
Isfahan University
Abstract
1. INTRODUCTION
Behavioral approaches in agricultural studies are approaches which 1. Sseek to understand behavior of farmers, 2. emphasize on psychological constructions such as attitudes, values and goals, and collect data related to the land, economic situation etc., and 3. enjoy quantitative methods. In general, such approaches are considered as a combination of motivational factors and structural features of economy which reflect motivational priorities. Before considering the importance of participatory approaches, a farmer was regarded as a limiting factor in development process but when the importance of these approaches was recognized in the agricultural section, the participatory role of local people turned twice as much in fundamental decision making.
2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Theory of Planned Behavior
The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is an extension of the theory of reasoned action (TRA), which has, as its main goals, the prediction and understanding of human behavior. It postulates that individuals’ behavioral intentions are determinants of their actual behavior. Behavioral intention in Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is a function of three determinants: Attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. Attitude refers to an individual’s positive or negative feelings about performing the target behavior. TPB predicts that the more favorable an individual evaluates a particular behavior, the more likely it is that he or she will perform that behavior. Subjective norm reflects a person’s perception that most people who are important to him think he should or should not perform the behavior in question. The stronger an individual's perception in this field is, the greater the incentive to comply with the others will be. Perceived behavioral control reflects beliefs regarding access to the resources and opportunities needed to perform a behavior. Perceived behavioral control appears to encompass two components.
Geographic Theory of Planned Behavior (GeoTPB)
The theory of planned behavior with geographic data promotes the Geographic theory of planned behavior.
In this model, behavioral beliefs are affected by geographic data (height, distance, slope, and time variables) in order to study the effect of environmental construction in a specific location on explanation of relocation and transportation behavior. For example, a person who lives in a mountain area and his way of transportation is a road with steep slope beside a valley would have a negative attitude toward bicycling due to the geographic location. Planned behavior theory has a micro perspective and concentrates on individual level; while, geographically, the effect of macro construction is necessary on relocation behavior in a location.
3. METHODOLOGY
The present study is a descriptive correlational study. The samples of the study include all agricultural beneficiaries (N=621458) who are supported by 59-fold centers of agricultural extension of Guilan province. Estimation of the minimum sample volum conducted by Cochran formula and the obtained number of rural beneficiaries was 384. Sampling was conducted by stratified random method. 40 extension services holding training classes and capacity of 30 people were selected. In each center, 10 beneficiaries who participated in training classes were selected randomly to fill out the given questionnaires.
4. DISCUSSION
Articles that have been published by our country’s researchers represent that medical sciences have had the most contribution to apply this theory and articles in agricultural extension and development section are more seen in rural studies. However, a considerable section of the world’s agricultural and rural development research deals with assessment of policy in this area while practical application and theoretical development of behavioral approaches have been less considered. Conclusion of a study also shows that, participation of management and economic approach in Iran’s rural studies is approximately 63% of the whole studies in this area.
5– CONCLUSION
Results showed that among four factors affeting agricultural knowledge, the factor ‘attitude’ (rural evaluation of training effects), has the highest participation. It means that, villagers’ assessment of positive results of their learning in agricultural operations has more participation than the factor ’educational facilities and tools’ on actualizing learning. Thus, subjective norm, attitude and educational effect, influence the practical application of the villager’s knowledge up to 45 percent and the theory of planned behavior had been able to predict the half behavior.
However, by adding the factor ’geographic control’, behavior would be affected by geographic distance (the area where extension services is available) and spatial sample would be placed at the ownership framework and would play an important role in practical applivation of training by villagers; and explanation of geographic planned behavior increases to 64%; thus, This result stressed the need to increase radius deliveries to villages farther from the center and present wider information for the villagers, especially smallholders for consulting services. In addition, in the study conducted by Stranich and Doring (2012) the geographic theory of planned behavior represented a better explanation of planned behavior in analyzing displacement behavior which is in line with the present study. However, in a study by Wang, Brown, Liu and Mateo-Babiano (2014) planned behavior model showed better results than geographic theory of planned behavior which is different from the findings of the present study.
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