Background and Objectives: Over the past two decades, dust storms have become one of Iran's most critical environmental challenges, with the Sistan region in southeastern Iran, specifically in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, representing one of the most active dust sources in Southwest Asia. This crisis is driven by a confluence of factors, including desiccation of transboundary Hamoun Wetlands, diminished inflow from the Helmand River, climate variability, and unsustainable land management practices. Beyond its direct environmental impacts, such as elevated particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) levels, agricultural decline, and soil erosion, the phenomenon induces significant socio-economic and psychological strain, manifesting as public health crises, livelihood loss, and displacement. Conventional engineering solutions, including mulching and windbreaks, have yielded limited long-term efficacy due to lack of community engagement and socio-cultural integration. Environmental crises such as dust storms are increasingly understood as manifestations of complex human-environment interactions, shaped by values, beliefs, and norms. The Value–Belief–Norm (VBN) theory offers a comprehensive psychological framework that links fundamental values, ecological worldviews, and normative influences to pro-environmental behavior through a sequential causal chain: Values → Beliefs → Personal Norms → Behavior. Within Sistan’s unique cultural and religious context, where principles such as environmental stewardship (amanat), avoidance of waste (israf), and intergenerational equity are emphasized, VBN theory provides a culturally resonant lens to examine behavioral drivers. This study applies the VBN framework to analyze how values, beliefs, and norms influence dust management participation. Its specific objectives are to: 1) determine which value orientations-egoistic, altruistic, or biospheric-most strongly predict pro-environmental behavior, 2) investigate how beliefs regarding the origins and impacts of dust storms shape moral responsibility, and 3) assess the roles of personal and social norms in fostering collective action. By integrating theoretical rigor with local socio-cultural insights, this research aims to develop a context-sensitive behavioral model to support sustainable dust management in arid regions of Iran
Materials and Methods: This empirical study was conducted in the Sistan Basin, specifically focusing on Hamun county-a hyper-arid region spanning approximately 4,987 km², characterized by sparse vegetation, recurrent dust storms, and the renowned "120-day" summer winds. The study area, bordering Afghanistan, encompasses the central and Teymurabad districts, with a total population of approximately 41,000 residents. A descriptive-analytical design employing a survey-based approach was adopted, with data collected through a structured questionnaire grounded in the Value–Belief–Norm (VBN) theoretical framework. The study population comprised adults aged 18 and above from both urban and rural settlements (including Gazmoum, Lutak, and Seh Kouhe), with a sample of 200 respondents selected via stratified random sampling to ensure representation across gender, age, and residential background. The questionnaire included five sections: 1) demographic characteristics, 2) value orientations measured using Schwartz’s Value Inventory, 3) ecological beliefs assessed via the New Ecological Paradigm scale, 4) personal and social norms adapted, and 5) pro-environmental behavioral indicators. All items employed a five-point Likert scale. Content validity was established through expert evaluation, and reliability was confirmed via a pilot study (n=30), with Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from 0.79 to 0.86. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26, applying sequential regression models aligned with the VBN theoretical structure, while controlling for key demographic variables.
Results: Descriptive findings indicated that 60% of respondents were male and 40% female, with nearly half engaged in agriculture and pastoralism, making them directly vulnerable to dust-related livelihood impacts. The majority (55%) had resided in the area for more than 10 years, highlighting strong place attachment. The correlation matrix showed significant positive relationships among all constructs (p < 0.01), with particularly strong associations observed between Norms and Beliefs, and between Norms and Behavior, suggesting the central mediating role of moral commitment. Regression results demonstrated: Model 1: Values significantly predicted Beliefs (β = 0.52; R² = 0.31; p < 0.001). Model 2: Beliefs significantly influenced Norms (β = 0.51; p < 0.001), while Values had a weaker yet still significant effect (β = 0.18; p = 0.002). Model 3: Norms strongly predicted Behavior (β = 0.51; p < 0.001), while the effect of Values on Behavior weakened and became statistically non-significant (β = 0.09; p = 0.077). The final model explained 48% of variance in participation behavior. Education and duration of residence were the only control variables demonstrating consistent positive effects on Beliefs and Behavior, respectively. These findings empirically confirm the sequential structure of the VBN model within the local cultural context of Sistan.
Conclusion: This research demonstrated that the Value–Belief–Norm theory provides a coherent and empirically validated framework for understanding community participation in environmental crisis management. The three psychological constructs-values, beliefs, and norms-form a causal chain that effectively predicts pro-environmental behaviors in the context of dust storm management in Sistan. Key conclusions include: Environmental values, particularly altruistic and biospheric orientations, constitute the foundation for ecological awareness. Beliefs act as cognitive mediators that translate abstract values into perceived moral responsibility. Personal and social norms are the most powerful determinants of participatory environmental behavior. The effect of values on behavior is largely indirect, transmitted through beliefs and norms. The findings highlight that sustainable dust management requires more than technical interventions; it demands social transformation and moral engagement. Effective policy design must integrate educational, cultural, and religious mechanisms that strengthen environmental norms and promote shared responsibility. Recommendations derived from this study include: Developing localized environmental education programs tailored to the Sistan culture; mobilizing religious leaders and local councils to promote moral narratives around environmental stewardship; Institutionalizing community-based participatory mechanisms for dust control and land restoration; Providing economic and social incentives for households engaging in sustainable land-use practices; Establishing periodic behavioral monitoring to assess long-term changes in community attitudes. Ultimately, the study concludes that the path to ecological resilience in arid regions like Sistan lies in aligning human values and collective norms with environmental sustainability goals. Only by cultivating moral responsibility and participatory behavior can long-term mitigation of dust storms and associated crises be achieved