Participation in the boycott of Israel-based products: evidence from the Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) community

This study investigates the participation behaviour of the Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) community to engage in boycotts of Israel-based products. While public discourse often emphasizes pro-Palestinian sentiment and collective solidarity, actual consumer behavior reflects a complex array of influences. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), this research explores how attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control can also explain non-participation in boycotts. A total of 380 responses were collected via online surveys from UUM community. The findings reveal that although there is general awareness and moral support for Palestine amongst the university community, practical constraints, social ambiguity, and lack of perceived efficacy significantly hinder boycott participation. Attitude showed a negative correlation with boycott behaviour, while subjective norms and perceived behavioural control had significant but nuanced effects