How the sense of power affects garbage sorting is an important research issue in practice. Based
on the theory of social comparison, a theoretical model of power sense affecting garbage sorting behavior
is constructed. Through the questionnaire survey, the results found that: (1) The sense of power positively
affects garbage sorting behavior. The higher the sense of power, the more inclined one is to engage in
garbage sorting behavior; (2) The sense of power can positively predict an individual’s sense of awe;
(3) The sense of power affects garbage classification behavior through the sense of awe. Specifically, the
sense of power helps to improve the individual’s sense of awe, and then awe increases to promote a higher
tendency toward garbage sorting behavior. The theoretical framework integrated in this study provides a
more comprehensive explanation of the influence of power on garbage sorting behavior, which not only
enriches the power-related literature and expands the application of social comparative theory in proenvironmental
behaviors such as garbage sorting but also provides practical enlightenment for how to
boost individual garbage classification.