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Do Green Products Make Us Better People?
Abstract
Consumer choices reflect not only price and quality preferences but also social and moral values, as witnessed in the remarkable growth of the global market for organic and environmentally friendly products. Building on recent research on behavioral priming and moral regulation, we found that mere exposure to green products and the purchase of such products lead to markedly different behavioral consequences. In line with the halo associated with green consumerism, results showed that people act more altruistically after mere exposure to green products than after mere exposure to conventional products. However, people act less altruistically and are more likely to cheat and steal after purchasing green products than after purchasing conventional products. Together, our studies show that consumption is connected to social and ethical behaviors more broadly across domains than previously thought.
... A Bain and Company (2022) survey found that 95% of consumers surveyed in the Asia Pacific said they would pay more for green products. Given the ubiquity of green purchase behavior, we aim to understand better the relationship between green purchasing and (Mazar & Zhong, 2010) and found that consumers who purchase green products are less generous. Additionally, their peers may label green consumers as hippy or feminine (Johnstone & Tan, 2015), which can lead to unethical consumption (Sun & Trudel, 2017). ...
... Indulgent consumption is often tempting and provides instant gratification (Siddiqui et al., 2017), which is focused on one's desire for sensory or experiencing satisfaction (Longoni & Cian, 2022) and tends to be more enjoyable and pleasurable (Fatima et al., 2020;Tang et al., 2022). Previous studies have demonstrated that consumers exhibit a higher inclination towards indulgence when they possess justifications for their behaviors (Mazar & Zhong, 2010), and consumers may engage in indulgence as a form of self-reward (Mukhopadhyay & Johar, 2009;Rishika et al., 2022). Given a justifiable reason for indulgence, consumers tend to prefer indulgent food choices (Mukhopadhyay & Johar, 2009) and consequently consume a higher calorie intake from such food options (Prinsen et al., 2019). ...
... Many studies use experiments to manipulate green consumption behaviors and analyze their effects on other consumption decisions. For example, a classic experiment from Mazar and Zhong (2010) examined the causal relationship between eco-friendly choices and unethical behaviors, providing the basis for an experimental design to study the causal effect of green consumption on subsequent behaviors. Karmarkar and Bollinger (2015) also employed the experiment to find the relationship between green consumption and subsequent indulgent consumption. ...
While licensing is a valid way to justify personal indulgence decisions, it is unclear what role licensing plays in green consumption and subsequent indulgence. The current study aims to explore the internal mechanisms that underlie the impact of green consumption on subsequent indulgent consumption intention. Specifically, we conceptualize indulgence as a form of gratification individuals allow themselves to enjoy from a particular choice. Three experimental studies were conducted based on the moral licensing effect. Findings suggest that purchasing green products leads to an increase in indulgent consumption intention. Perceived morality and perceived deservingness play a sequential mediating role. Moreover, this research further emphasizes the societal benefits and appeal of green products, which can promote indulgent consumption after a green purchase. These findings provide valuable implications for researchers and practitioners facing follow-up choices in green consumption.
... In some instances, people show consistent moral preferences in the sense that they engage in similar moral activities across different contexts (Cojoc and Stoian, 2014). In other instances people exhibit behavior consistent with the moral cleansing or licensing hypothesis in that people engage in morally acceptable activities to repent their past transgressions or vice versa (Cialdini et al., 1973;Monin and Miller, 2001;Sachdeva et al., 2009;Mazar and Zhong, 2010;Gneezy et al., 2012;Brañas-Garza et al., 2013;Seçilmiş, 2018). ...
... This study complements the existing literature in three ways. First, most existing studies use exogenously manipulated initial transgressions, for example, subjects are randomly assigned into green and conventional stores and examine its effect on a subsequent altruistic behavior (Mazar and Zhong, 2010), inform randomly selected subjects about the chance to donate to a charity in a subsequent game and measure its impact on subjects' cheating behavior in the first stage (Cojoc and Stoian, 2014) etc. We use an endogenously formed initial transgression similar to Seçilmiş (2018) and measure its subsequent implications on behavior in the second game. ...
... Table A3 in the appendix, reports the results of OLS regressions and shows that subjects who behave less socially responsible burn significantly more money, indicating past transgressions lead to more anti-social behavior in the future. While this result is in line with the conscience numbing hypothesis (Cojoc and Stoian, 2014), it contradicts the moral cleansing (licensing) hypothesis (Cialdini et al., 1973;Monin and Miller, 2001;Sachdeva et al., 2009;Mazar and Zhong, 2010;Gneezy et al., 2012;Seçilmiş, 2018). ...
... Over the past decades, environmental problems, including climate warming, air pollution, water pollution, as well as natural resource depletion, have become increasingly acute on a global scale, posing a severe threat to human well-being (Chakraborty, Singh, and Roy 2017;Griskevicius, Tybur, and Van Den Bergh 2010;Li et al. 2021;Miniero et al. 2014;Steg et al. 2014). In response to these challenges, green and low-carbon lifestyles and consumption are increasingly favored (Koller, Floh, and Zauner 2011;Mazar and Zhong 2010). However, the demand for green consumption still needs to be further stimulated. ...
... We further explore the motivations behind green consumption by integrating the psychological mechanisms of upward and downward comparisons. Green consumption not only provides environmental benefits but also reflects consumers' social and moral values (Chaihanchanchai and Anantachart 2023;Mazar and Zhong 2010). This behavior helps individuals differentiate themselves within the social hierarchy (Yan, Keh, and Chen 2021), attaining higher status and a reputation for excellence (Griskevicius, Tybur, and Van Den Bergh 2010). ...
... In upward comparisons, individuals aspire to outperform others (Chen, Kou, and Lv 2024), driven by a "unidirectional drive upward" (Festinger 1954) to demonstrate personal values and social status. Green consumption becomes a critical means of showcasing higher social responsibility and ethical standards (Antonetti and Maklan 2014;Mazar and Zhong 2010;Yan, Keh, and Chen 2021), satisfying individuals' psychological need for excellence. In contrast, in downward comparisons, although individuals already perceive discrepancy favoring the self, they still desire to surpass others to preserve a positive self-image (Gürel et al. 2020;Tesser and Collins 1988). ...
In recent decades, green consumption has gained considerable attention among academic and business circles. While previous research has shown that green products combine environmental value and status symbols, the role of micro‐social environments has been insufficiently examined in studies exploring the antecedents of green consumption. Social comparison, a central feature of human social life, has been overlooked. Therefore, this research conducted five empirical studies to investigate the impact of social comparison on green product evaluations. We find that upward and downward comparisons positively influence consumers' attitudes, purchase intentions, and actual choices of green products. Notably, feelings of self‐threat mediate this effect in upward comparison situations, while authentic pride mediates this effect in downward comparison situations. Furthermore, the impact of social comparison on green product evaluations is moderated by consumers' self‐monitoring. Specifically, this effect is strengthened for consumers with high self‐monitoring and attenuated for those with low self‐monitoring. These findings offer novel perspectives on green consumption and marketing implications for managers.
... Örneğin Fitzsimons, Chartrand ve Fitzsimons (2008) yaptığı çalışmada, Apple logosuna maruz kalmanın yaratıcılığı arttırdığını göstermektedir. Yeşil ürünlerin yüksek etik standartların ve insani değerlendirmelerin tezahürleri olduğu göz önüne alındığında, yeşil ürünlere maruz kalmanın sosyal sorumluluk ve etik davranış normlarını harekete geçirmesi ve ilgili davranışları artırması da beklenmektedir (Mazar and Zhong, 2010). ...
... Yapılan araştırmalar, sadece yeşil ürünlere maruz kalmanın ve bu tür ürünlerin satın alınmasının sonraki davranışlar üzerinde belirgin şekilde farklı etkileri olacağı sonucunu ortaya koymaktadır. Yalnızca maruz kalma, sosyal sorumluluk ve etik davranışla ilgili kavramları etkinleştirebilir ve karşılık gelen davranışları teşvik edebilirken, yeşil ürünleri satın almak, ahlaki kimlik bilgileri oluşturarak çevreye zararlı olabileceği düşünülen ürün ve hizmetlere yönelimi kısıtlamakta ve diğer insanları da bu yönde etkileyebilmektedir (Mazar ve Zhong, 2010). ...
... Cross-domain spillovers (Dolan & Galizzi, 2015), i.e., how an intervention that targets a behavior in one domain can spread to other behaviors in another domain (e.g., Mazar & Zhong, 2010), remain underexplored. We want to shed light on whether the way we advocate behavior (autonomous vs. controlled) in one domain (i.e., home energy) may have an impact on compliance with other behaviors in another domain (i.e., health). ...
... La perception de satisfaction des besoins fondamentaux dans l'adoption d'un comportement dans un contexte pourrait promouvoir l'adoption du même comportement dans un autre contexte. Une étude de Hicklenton et al. (2019) Malgré certaines preuves existantes dans la littérature (e.g., Mazar & Zhong, 2010), les effets de débordement inter-domaines semblent difficiles à obtenir sachant que les débordements surviennent davantage entre comportements similaires (Maki et al., 2019). Or, de nombreux chercheurs et chercheuses s'accordent à dire que les domaines de l'environnement et de la santé ont beaucoup de similitudes (Myers, 2017). ...
In domains such as the environment or health, a combination of behaviors is often required to achieve a significant impact. The "spillover effect" is observed when an intervention has effects that go beyond the behavior targeted by the intervention. Taking the perspective of self-determination theory, we tested the extent to which a message based on autonomysupportive and descriptive norm arguments (i.e., autonomy-normative) could have an impact not only on the targeted behavior, but also on other non-targeted behaviors (positive spillover effect). A message based on controlling arguments was unlikely to produce such effects. Autonomous motivation was thought to mediate the spillover effect. Three studies focused on the impact of communications designed to motivate students to adopt pro-environmental behaviors on their campus. An autonomous-normative communication on waste separation generated a positive spillover effect on other pro-environmental behaviors through the promotion of autonomous motivation. A controlling communication only had an effect on the targeted behaviors. A fourth study was carried out on domestic energy consumption in the context of a national energy saving plan (general population). Only autonomous-normative communication favored both targeted and non-targeted behaviors, with a mediating effect of
autonomous motivation. A fifth study in the health field tested communications aimed at encouraging the adoption of preventive behaviors towards COVID-19 (general population). Autonomous-normative communication targeting vaccination behavior had no impact, but controlling communication negatively affected both targeted and non-targeted behaviors (negative spillover effect). The implications and perspectives of this research program are
discussed with regard to the implementation of communication campaigns with potential spillover effects.
... Indeed, numerous studies demonstrate how moral behaviour, such as supporting a Black political candidate or buying green products, can license problematic and immoral behaviour such as engaging in prejudice (Effron, Cameron, and Monin 2009), cheating, and stealing (Mazar and Zhong 2010). Some studies find that the moral licensing effect is so robust that even the prospect of morality, or simply planning to engage in moral behaviour in the future, can license current immoral attitudes and behaviours (Cascio and Plant 2015). ...
... One (post hoc) explanation may relate to the (in)effectiveness of moral licensing across different domains. Indeed, while there has been some evidence of cross-domain moral licensing (Mazar and Zhong 2010), recent follow-ups were unable to fully replicate this finding (Urban, Bahník, and Kohlová 2019). It is thus possible that the moral licensing effect simply does not extend to the domain of international law. ...
Does shaming human rights violators shape attitudes at home? A growing literature studies the effect of shaming on public attitudes in the target state, but far less is known about its effect in countries initiating the criticism – that is the shamers . In this article, I theorize that when governments shame human rights violators they shape both government approval and human rights attitudes at home. Utilizing two US-based survey experiments, I demonstrate that by shaming foreign countries, governments can improve their image at home and virtue signal their dedication to human rights. At the same time, shaming can modestly shape tolerance towards certain domestic human rights violations. I consider the generalizability of my results through comprehensive supplementary analyses, where experimental insights are corroborated with cross-national observational data. Overall, my findings can provide valuable insight into governments’ incentives to engage in foreign criticism.
... In the more general domain of policy interventions, previous empirical studies have led to mixed results, as they offered evidence of both negative and positive spillovers. In the realm of negative spillovers, previous research has shown that people donate less to charity directly after making a choice they consider moral than after a choice they consider immoral 38 , that "recalling one's own (im)moral behaviour leads to compensatory rather than consistent moral action" 39 , that "people act less altruistically and are more likely to cheat and steal after purchasing green products than after purchasing conventional products" 40 , that "people are more willing to express attitudes that could be viewed as prejudiced when their past behaviour has established their credentials as nonprejudiced persons" 41 . See also refs 42-45. ...
... This question is particularly important in light of previous literature offering evidence of both positive 46-50 and negative spillovers. In particular, negative spillovers are reported in the literature on moral cleansing, which shows that moral actions are often followed by compensatory immoral actions, suggesting that some moral nudges may backfire [38][39][40][41][42] . Our results show that this is not the case, at least for the moral nudges, the window of time, and the economic decisions considered in this paper. ...
The conflict between pro-self and pro-social behaviour is at the core of many key problems of our time, as, for example, the reduction of air pollution and the redistribution of scarce resources. For the well-being of our societies, it is thus crucial to find mechanisms to promote pro-social choices over egoistic ones. Particularly important, because cheap and easy to implement, are those mechanisms that can change people's behaviour without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives, the so-called "nudges". Previous research has found that moral nudges (e.g., making norms salient) can promote pro-social behaviour. However, little is known about whether their effect persists over time and spills across context. This question is key in light of research showing that pro-social actions are often followed by selfish actions, thus suggesting that some moral manipulations may backfire. Here we present a class of simple moral nudges that have a great positive impact on pro-sociality. In Studies 1-4 (total N = 1,400), we use economic games to demonstrate that asking subjects to self-report "what they think is the morally right thing to do" does not only increase pro-sociality in the choice immediately after, but also in subsequent choices, and even when the social context changes. In Study 5, we explore whether moral nudges promote charity donations to humanitarian organisations in a large (N=1,800) crowdfunding campaign. We find that, in this context, moral nudges increase donations by about 44 percent.
... Bias revelation is however also contentious (Banks and Ford, 2009) as psychologists worry about the possible negative reactions it can elicit (Howell et al., 2015), most importantly through increasing moral licensing, the process of behaving morally at first, but later being more likely to display immoral 1 https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/ behaviours (Mazar and Zhong, 2010;Merritt et al., 2012;Cascio and Plant, 2015). In the case of revelation of bias, moral licensing might lead to socially desirable actions at first, but then reversion to previous biased beliefs and even backlash in subsequent longer-term behaviours. ...
Reliance on stereotypes is a persistent feature of human decision-making and has been extensively documented in educational settings, where it can shape students' confidence, performance, and long-term human capital accumulation. While effective techniques exist to mitigate these negative effects, a crucial first step is to establish whether teachers can recognize stereotypes in their professional environment. We introduce the Stereotype Identification Test (SIT), a novel survey tool that asks teachers to evaluate and comment on the presence of stereotypes in images randomly drawn from school textbooks. Their responses are systematically linked to established measures of implicit bias (Implicit Association Test, IAT) and explicit bias (survey scales on teaching stereotypes and social values). Our findings demonstrate that the SIT is a valid and reliable measure of stereotype recognition. Teachers' ability to recognize stereotypes is linked to trainable traits such as implicit bias awareness and inclusive teaching practices. Moreover, providing personalized feedback on implicit bias improves SIT scores by 0.25 standard deviations, reinforcing the idea that stereotype recognition is malleable and can be enhanced through targeted interventions.
... Chemical contamination and a product safety issue may be the cause of the product's possible health risks when consumed (Mazar & Zhong, 2010). These serve as a crucial foundation for encouraging customers to choose eco-friendly products and support sustainable development. ...
Public attention to environmentally friendly products is currently increasing. Consumers who care about environmental factors and long-term health will be selective in choosing the products they consume. they are more likely to buy environmentally friendly products. This research aims to determine the influence of environmental concern on environmentally friendly purchasing intentions and determine the mediating role of environmentally friendly brand knowledge. The analysis technique used in this research uses SEM-PLS. The number of samples in this research was 180 respondents. Data was collected using a questionnaire consisting of 28 question items. This research found that environmental concern and green brand knowledge directly influence green purchase intention. Environmental concerns can also indirectly influence green purchase intention through green brand knowledge.
... Green products are items that have a reduced negative impact on the ecological environment, including land, water, and air (Mazar & Zhong, 2010). Green products play a role in safeguarding the environment by eliminating or minimizing waste, pollution, and pollutants (Sharma et al., 2023). ...
This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of research on green purchase behavior from 2017 to 2023, utilizing data from the Scopus database. A total of 355 articles were selected and analyzed to identify trends in consumer behavior towards environmentally friendly purchases. The findings reveal a significant increase in publications, with a peak anticipated in 2023, indicating a growing interest in the intersection of consumer behavior and environmental sustainability. Key contributors to the field include prolific authors and journals, with China emerging as the leading country in terms of published research. The analysis highlights the critical role of positive environmental attitudes in fostering pro-environmental behaviors, such as the purchase of green products. Additionally, the study identifies factors influencing this relationship, including perceived consumer effectiveness and the need for effective educational strategies. The results underscore the importance of understanding consumer motivations and behaviors to inform marketing strategies and enhance sustainability initiatives. This research contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of green purchase behavior research and suggesting avenues for future inquiry.
... In the global market for organic and environmentally friendly products, consumer preferences reflect not just price and quality but also ethical and moral values, as evidenced by the spectacular expansion of the global market (Al-Swidi & Saleh, 2021;Hossain et al., 2022). Also, in the study on behavioral priming and moral control, it is observed that mere exposure to green products and the purchase of green products result in notably different behavioral outcomes (Mazar & Zhong, 2010;Zheng et al., 2020). Few types of research depict that personal moral norm are a significant positive predictor of consumer buying intentions (Saleki et al., 2019;Zhang et al., 2022). ...
Brand evangelism is a smart, new form of word-of-mouth advertising in which happy customers actively and freely promote a brand to attract new customers. The study shows how customer buying behaviour affects brand evangelism in Bangalore. Testing metrics were used to create the survey questions. Based on the extensive literature, the research framework showed a structural relationship between constructs. To analyse construct relationships, structural equation modelling is done. The conceptual model was developed and analysed using five constructs. Environmental consciousness ranked highest, followed by morality, subjectiveness, pricing, and attitude. These variables have strongly influenced green product purchases and brand advocacy. Convenience is slight advantage over other criteria that do not influence green product purchases. This study has major consequences for policymakers, government, and industry.
... Research on moral licensing theory suggests that behaviors that can license people to engage in immoral or bad deeds include not only moral behaviors, but also certain good deeds, such as volunteering or purchasing environmental products (Loi et al., 2020;Mazar and Zhong, 2010). Here, we propose that as one of the good and valuable behaviors, employees' creative behavior will both establish moral credentials and generate moral credits. ...
Purpose
The aim of this study is to examine when and why employee creative behavior leads to unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). Drawing on research on moral licensing, we argue that the relationship between employee creative behavior and UPB is indirectly mediated by moral licence.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from 214 employees and their immediate supervisors, and the theoretical hypotheses were tested by correlation and a hierarchical regression analysis.
Findings
We found that: (1) employee creative behavior is positively correlated with their moral credentials and moral credits; (2) it supported the mediating role of moral credentials between creative behavior and UPB but did not support the relationship between creative behavior and UPB through moral credits and (3) the indirect relationship between creative behavior and UPB is strengthened through moral credentials when perceptions of organizational valuing of creativity are high.
Originality/value
This study responds to calls from researchers to explore more detrimental outcomes of creativity, and we extend existing research by empirically showing that creativity can promote some unethical pro-organizational behavior. We also contribute to explore the mediated role of moral licensing and the moderated role of the perceived organizational valuing of creativity to explain the creative behavior–UPB relationship.
... Food consumption is vital in ethical consumption, as consumers are willing to pay higher prices for organic products with additional ethical attributes (Zander & Hamm, 2010). It is a fact that green consumers frequently display both ethical and unethical behaviors, as their level of commitment to the cause varies significantly (Mazar & Zhong, 2010). Hence, it is crucial to classify consumers into committed environmentalists, conventional environmentalists, occasional environmentalists, and non-environmentalists (Gilg et al., 2005). ...
The aim of this manuscript is to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing literature on green consumption. Moreover, it proposes future research directions to further expand our understanding of the evolution of the field of green consumption through a bibliometric study approach. The analysis encompasses the period between 1975 and 2021, and employs base data from the Web of Science (WOS). The study scrutinizes publications through a range of bibliometric indicators such as the most cited articles, the most prominent authors, institutions, countries, and the most productive journals. The h-index, productivity, and citations are some of the bibliometric indicators used to assess the publications. Additionally, graphic mapping is presented through the VOS viewer, which facilitates an analysis of authors’ co-citation and the keywords’ co-occurrence. The findings demonstrate the evolution, integration, and scope of the concept, wherein individuals, communities, and governments play a pivotal role in embracing new practices, policies, and resource utilization. The study concludes that various theories, approaches, and causal variables present challenges concerning consumption and purchasing habits.
... Due to the growing demand for environmentally friendly goods among consumers due to awareness of their benefits, green products are becoming more and more well-liked among the general public. Green goods have the potential to play their role in transition to a sustained consumption and production, but only if people are aware of their advantages and their diminishing impact on the environment (Mazar & Zhong, 2010). The satisfaction of consumers gained from switching to green goods is of particular interest to researchers and policymakers nowadays. ...
The Z generation’s values and behaviors are shaping the future of consumerism and sustainability. So different initiatives are increasingly important for firms to maintain a positive reputation and attract environmentally conscious consumers because consumers are becoming more and more conscious about environmental preservation in recent years. Therefore, several organizations nowadays are adopting green production techniques, considering environmental preservation as an integral part of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Understanding the perspective and behavior of consumers will help to formulate the effective CSR strategies that promote sustainable consumption and reduce harm to the environment. The current study examined how the utility and purchase intention of Z generation towards green products are influenced by CSR, consumers’ conformity, and green perceived value (GPV). An online survey is conducted for Chinese consumers who are in the age of 18–24 years for data collection. The questionnaire was sent to a sample of 870 consumers, out of which 563 valid responses were selected. The structural equation model is used for empirical analysis. It is found that CSR, GPV, and purchasing of green products increase the utility of Z generation. Besides that, it is revealed that the CSR and GPV significantly influence the purchase of green products in the Z generation. The findings of the study suggest that firms should host events to educate the Z generation about green projects and the efforts made for society by the firms.
... Khan, Rehman, Shah, & Khan, 2018). Consumers would be more likely to buy a product if other quality qualities were disclosed to them, according to studies (Biswas & Roy, 2016;Kang et al., 2012;Mazar & Zhong, 2010). ...
... The literature often assumes behavioral spillovers to happen between two decisions that belong to the same domain 12,13 (e.g., preserving the environment). Yet, empirical evidence is scarce and mixed, with studies suggesting cross-domains spillovers might exist 11,51,52 , and others supporting the hypothesis that spillover effects are more prevalent between choices in similar domains 53,54 (∂ T PEB2) is different for the environmental condition than for the health condition. Two-sided test, predicted effect size d = 0.20 (to the extent of our knowledge, there are no prior studies that we can use to determine the expected effect size for this effect). ...
Does prompting people to volunteer for the climate spur or hamper further environmental engagement? We address this question in an online experiment with 10,670 German respondents. First, respondents read a text explaining how to help scientists fight climate change. Second, participants choose whether to do a real-effort task, like the behavior emphasized in the text. Third, respondents can sign a petition against climate change. In Study 1, we manipulate the narrative of the texts. We compare narratives condemning inaction or praising climate action against a neutral narrative (control) and an unrelated article (placebo). In Study 2, we investigate how the difficulty of the first behavior moderates behavioral spillovers. In Study 3, we test if the similarity between the domains of the two behaviors (e.g., environment, health) moderates spillover effects. None of our narratives increase the uptake of the real-effort task. Doing the real-effort task does not increase the likelihood of signing the petition either. Difficulty and domain-similarity do not moderate these effects.
Protocol registration The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on January 1, 2023. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/JPT8G.
... The pure spillover effect reflects how engaging in a prosocial activity in one period affects the marginal utility of engaging in a subsequent prosocial behaviour, independent of any intervention (Lacasse, 2016;Lauren et al., 2019). Prosocial actions in the first period can either encourage continued prosocial behaviour (foot-in-the-door effect) or provide a licence for less prosocial behaviour (Monin and Miller, 2001;Mazar and Zhong, 2010;Bénabou and Tirole, 2011b). Aligned with findings from meta-studies by Blanken et al. (2015) and Maki et al. (2019), we propose that prosocial actions improve an agent's self-view, in turn licensing decreased motivation for further prosocial actions. ...
Incentivising prosocial and pro-environmental behaviours is a sensitive endeavour. While behavioural change is urgently needed to mitigate the consequences of climate change, monetary interventions often have negative side effects. Such interventions are prone to motivation crowding, which can impede lasting positive behavioural change and stimulate negative temporal spillovers to other prosocial behaviours. In this study, we investigate whether implementing monetary interventions as part of policy mixes can mitigate these negative side effects. In an online experiment involving 3,782 participants, we test whether the use of nudges that make personal and social norms salient can counteract the motivation-crowding effect and explore the effects of such policy mixes on temporal spillovers. We find that policy mixes of norm-based nudges and monetary incentives are more effective at stimulating engagement in targeted prosocial behaviour than no intervention when controlling for sample characteristics. Analysing the temporal spillover effects of these interventions reveals that policy mixes can alleviate the tendency of monetary incentives to negatively affect subsequent prosocial behaviour. This indicates that norm-based nudges are suitable complements to monetary interventions, facilitating long-lasting positive effects.
... Overall, research on pro-environmental "behavioural spillover"when performing one pro-environmental behaviour influences the likelihood that the person will perform another (Thøgersen, 1999)suggests a weak tendency for pro-environmental behaviour to increase the likelihood of more pro-environmental behaviour (Carrico, 2021). However, there is also evidence that compensatory thinking (Capstick et al., 2019;Nayum & Thøgersen, 2022) and moral licensing (Mazar & Zhong, 2010) can decrease the likelihood of other pro-environmental behaviours, at least for some people and in some situations. ...
... Interestingly, the mediating role of social norms between cognitive factors and green purchase intention found to be insignificant among young consumers (Phan et al., 2023). Additionally, 13 consumers tend to exhibit more altruistic behaviour after exposure to green products (Mazar and Zhong, 2010;Park and Lee, 2016). Individuals also perceive green consumers to have higher social status (Puska, 2019). ...
... Similarly, engagement in environmentally friendly behaviour involves prosocial behaviour and benefits to the environment (Chernev & Blair, 2021). Green consumers are often perceived as altruistic and more cooperative than nongreen consumers (Mazar & Zhong, 2010). To the extent that traits extending other-profitability conceptually overlap with the traits of warmth and environmental friendliness more than competence. ...
... Chemical contamination and a product safety issue may be the cause of the product's possible health risks when consumed (Mazar & Zhong, 2010). These serve as a crucial foundation for encouraging customers to choose eco-friendly products and support sustainable development. ...
Public attention to environmentally friendly products is currently increasing. Consumers who care about environmental factors and long-term health will be selective in choosing the products they consume. they are more likely to buy environmentally friendly products. This research aims to determine the influence of environmental concern on environmentally friendly purchasing intentions and determine the mediating role of environmentally friendly brand knowledge. The analysis technique used in this research uses SEM-PLS. The number of samples in this research was 180 respondents. Data was collected using a questionnaire consisting of 28 question items. This research found that environmental concern and green brand knowledge directly influence green purchase intention. Environmental concerns can also indirectly influence green purchase intention through green brand knowledge.
Among all other sectors, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector is also accountable of environmental destruction, at the same time consumers and more specifically Sri Lankan millennials have shown increasing concern for the environment. Those favorable environmental attitudes and concerns have however been evident of not impacting the intention to purchase green products which suggest that there exists an attitude-intention gap. Uncertainty was evident on why such a gap exists and what factors may have an influence on the consumer's green purchasing intention. The purpose of the study was to investigate the attitude-intention gap among Sri Lankan millennials when it comes to purchasing green FMCG products. And also, to determine factors influencing the green purchasing intention among Sri Lankan millennials. Under the deductive reasoning approach, a quantitative survey was conducted where 186 responses were collected targeting Sri Lankan millennial consumers. The findings revealed that there is an attitude-intention gap among Sri Lankan millennials where the impact of environmental knowledge on the green purchasing intention was the most impactful determinant followed by habits of buying traditional FMCG products and then the subjective norm. Additionally, gender differences among most of the determinants were identified. The findings provide suggestions for decision makers marketing green FMCG products to focus on increasing the knowledge among consumers as well as easing the process of changing old purchasing habits. In conclusion, this paper contributes to further conceptualization of the theory, Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework towards green consumption.
This study explores the factors affecting dentists’ willingness to use social media in their practices, examining how consumer behavior influences their adoption decisions. Despite the growing use of social media across industries, its adoption in dentistry remains relatively underexplored. As investments in digital technologies increase, understanding dentists’ intentions to integrate social media becomes crucial, especially considering the evolving consumer behavior patterns in healthcare. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and factoring in patient pressures, this study analyzes data from 209 respondents through SPSS and Smart PLS 4.0. The results offer valuable insights for dentists, highlighting the benefits of social media integration, and justifying investments in these platforms to align with changing consumer expectations. The study also discusses its limitations and suggests future research directions to further explore social media adoption in dentistry and its potential to drive economic growth within the sector.
Purpose
The main purpose of the current study is to get a better understanding of how the set of crucial categories of nostalgia can negatively impact on green manufacturing intentions in the food industry field, taking three food factories as a case study.
Design/methodology/approach
Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire to fulfill the study’s objectives. The questionnaire has previously undergone testing.
Findings
The study results showed that nostalgia categories, especially personal nostalgia, significantly hinder the intention to create green manufacturing system requirements. This, in turn, reduces the intention to produce green products and, consequently, to buy and consume them by an audience that is dominated by nostalgia traits.
Originality/value
This paper’s originality enables the introduction of a brand-new contribution in terms of providing sponsoring facts and information, which goes a long way toward filling the gap in the literature regarding the essential effect that can be achieved by way of the set of nostalgia categories. This includes using a modern look inside the inexperienced manufacturing intentions for processed food products. The current study focused on food sector factories in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region to accomplish this goal.
Although a great deal of literature has focused on the drivers of pro-environmental behaviours, the effects of past product choices on future pro-environmental product choices have not yet been thoroughly investigated. This study explores how choosing a green product influences subsequent pro-environmental product preference. Drawing on the self-perception and moral licensing research, we find that past green product consumption can yield two conflicting mechanisms: environmental self-perception (the green spillover effect) and perceived goal progress (the green licensing effect). Given these two conflicting mechanisms, past pro-environmental product selection subsequently either reinforces or undermines subsequent pro-environmental product purchase preference. This study finds that these effects are contingent on the pre-existing moral identities of individual consumers. Among consumers with high moral identity internalization or low moral identity symbolization, pro-environmental product purchase preference is reinforced, whereas consumers with low moral identity internalization or high moral identity symbolization show less preference for pro-environmental products after prior green consumption. Overall, these findings provide new insight into pro-environmental product consumption and moral identity.
Purpose
Based on the stimuli-organism-response (SOR) theory, the purpose of this study is to demonstrate the impact of consumers’ engagement in pro-environment activities on social media on consumer green consumption behaviour, and explore the explicatory mechanism and boundary conditions for the relationship between them.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collected data from 312 Chinese consumers by using the research platform Credamo, a Chinese online survey platform. A structural equation model and hierarchical regression modelling were used to analyse the data.
Findings
Consumers’ engagement in pro-environmental activities on social media has a positive influence on environmental awareness that positively affects green consumption behaviour. Environmental awareness plays a mediating role in the relationship between consumers’ engagement in pro-environmental activities on social media and green consumption behaviour. Furthermore, green intrinsic motivation and green extrinsic motivation play positive and negative regulating roles respectively in the relationship between environmental awareness and green consumption behaviour.
Originality/value
This study enriches the research on the antecedent variables of green consumption behaviour. At the same time, it also expands the research on the outcome variables of the impact of engagement in environmental protection activities on people’s subsequent behaviour, deepens and expands the research on green consumption behaviour and its applicable boundaries, offering both theoretical insights and practical implications for enterprise marketing strategies and government management.
Despite motivations to see themselves as virtuous, consumers commonly engage in behaviors that are bad for themselves or others, such as eating unhealthy food or refusing prosocial requests. I introduce the Pathways for Avoiding Self‐Sanction (PASS) model, which explains how consumers violate their standards for virtue without self‐sanction. This model posits that consumers have a subjective threshold that they must not cross lest they incur self‐sanction and outlines three main pathways through which consumers succumb to the temptation of bad behaviors without crossing this threshold: the self‐based path, the behavior‐based path, or the threshold‐based path. By drawing on shared psychological processes between self‐control and moral decision‐making, the PASS model organizes self‐sanction avoidance strategies across literature in marketing, psychology, organizational behavior, and behavioral economics, offering a comprehensive and parsimonious view of the mechanisms through which consumers engage in maladaptive behaviors that harm themselves, others, and society.
This paper looks at the rising influence of sustainability on consumer preferences and brand loyalty, and the factors that influence sustainable purchasing behavior. The research employs a mixed-method approach (surveys (n = 400), focus groups and interviews) to investigate demographic drivers, motivators, and communication strategies that influence sustainability preferences. Regression analysis (β = 0.52, p < 0.001 and β = 0.38, p = 0.002) confirms that environmental awareness (85%) and education level (72%) are the most important predictors. When examining the association between ethical values and sustainability preferences, the analysis shows that there are strong associations between these two (r = 0.65) and the role of personal responsibility and moral alignment. Environmental concern and ethical values are the two key motivators (40% and 30% respectively), while product quality and social influence are the two other motivators (20% and 10% respectively). Social media (4.5/5) and in store promotions (4.2/5) were the most effective communication channels to promote sustainability messages. Qualitative insights reinforce the value of transparent messaging, credibility and emotional connections, but concerns regarding greenwashing reaffirms that messaging needs to be genuine linked to third party certifications. The results provide a holistic framework for incorporating sustainability into branding strategies that can help businesses build trust, boost customer loyalty, and gain a long term competitive advantage in an ever more eco conscious market.
The neoclassical economic view, which posits that individuals' behavioral motivations stem from utility maximization, overlooks the crucial role of ethical dimension. This oversight limits its ability to adequately explain tourist behavior, particularly in religious tourism and pro-environmental contexts where morality is a crucial determinant of tourist actions. Therefore, this paper aims to employ the compensatory ethics model as the intrinsic mechanism to elucidate how religious belief shapes tourists’ pro-environmental behavior. Through a mixed-method approach, including quantitative analysis using the WVS Database, pretest, and field survey, this interdisciplinary study develops a dynamic theoretical model based on compensatory ethics theory by integrating theories from behavioral economics, religion, and tourism. The results demonstrate that religious beliefs can attenuate tourists' time preference and positively impact their pro-environmental behavior. Tourists exhibit different willingness for pro-environmental behavior during the moral licensing and moral cleansing phases. Furthermore, it provides beneficial practical insights for religious tourism domain.
У роботі проаналізовано динаміку органічного виробництва в Україні, характеристики органічних продуктів, їх вплив на довкілля та здоров’я людини. Показано, що Україна має значний потенціал у органічному виробництві, проте деякі регіони значно відстають у цьому напрямку в порівнянні з іншими. Сумська область є прикладом такого низького рівня популярності споживання органічних продуктів. Дослідження рівня поінформованості населення щодо органічних продуктів має вагоме значення і є необхідним для розуміння перспектив та перешкод щодо впровадження органічного виробництва на місцевому рівні. Тому було проведено опитування населення Сумської області різних вікових груп для визначення рівня обізнаності населення про переваги органічних продуктів, їхніх уподобань та готовності до сприйняття органічної продукції. Результати проведеного дослідження свідчать, що майже половина респондентів мають часткові знання про органічне виробництво, у той же час 8 % опитаних не мають жодних знань про нього. Більшість розуміють, що таке органічні продукти і вважають, що вони є корисними для здоров’я, оскільки містять менше небезпечних хімічних речовин. З’ясовано, що основними джерелами інформації про органічне виробництво є соціальні медіа та навчальні заклади. Роль телебачення в цьому аспекті виявилася менш суттєвою. Авторами визначено основні фактори, які впливають на вибір населення, серед яких вища вартість органічних продуктів, відсутність таких продуктів у магазинах та недостатня поінформованість про їх переваги та особливості серед споживачів. Переважна більшість опитаних вважають, що виробництво органічних продуктів має розвиватись в Україні. На основі отриманих результатів опитування сформульовано ряд рекомендацій щодо подальшого розвитку органічного виробництва в Сумській області та популяризації органічних продуктів серед населення.
Moral Behavior has emerged as a focal point of inquiry across diverse domains, reflecting its pervasive influence on individual and societal dynamics. Given the multifaceted nature of MB and its far-reaching implications, this chapter embarks on an introductory exploration of its scholarly discourse. The primary objective of this study was to delve into the evolution and characterization of publications on MB, examining the theoretical frameworks and dimensions considered across various disciplines. To achieve this aim, an approach that encompasses both bibliometric analyses and systematic literature review across a spectrum of scientific disciplines was adopted. The findings indicate that Moral Behavior burgeoning literature draws upon a rich theoretical framework, encompassing various dimensions such as environmental influences, moral identity formation, cognitive processes, and the intricate interplay of emotions. Emotion emerges as a salient theme underscored by both bibliometric analyses and systematic literature reviews, affirming its pivotal role in shaping MB. Delving deeper into this nexus, this study revealed a spectrum of Moral Emotion emotions, including but not limited to anger, disgust, empathy, guilt, pride, and shame, which are central to moral judgment.
En el presente trabajo se analizan los factores que determinan el consumo de productos eco-friendly en la generación Z, utilizando la teoría del comportamiento planificado. A diferencia de la teoría económica ortodoxa, que enfatiza la maximización del bienestar individual dentro de restricciones presupuestarias, la teoría del comportamiento planificado considera dimensiones adicionales como la actitud, la norma subjetiva, el control conductual percibido y la obligación moral. La recolección de la información se llevó a cabo mediante el diseño y aplicación de un instrumento validado, a una muestra de estudiantes universitarios entre 18 y 25 años que residen en la Zona Metropolitana La Laguna. El análisis de los datos se realizó utilizando un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales y mínimos cuadrados parciales. Los resultados confirman que los determinantes de la Teoría del Comportamiento Planificado son relevantes para la intención de compra de productos eco-friendly y se concluye que la norma subjetiva no es una variable que determina dicha intención de compra. Por lo tanto, es relevante seguir aportando a la evidencia empírica del modelo.
With the planet warming, extreme heat events are becoming increasingly frequent and hazardous. At the same time, reducing carbon emissions from consumer activities is crucial for addressing global warming. This study aims to explore how extreme heat affects low-carbon consumption behaviors (LCB), leading to a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between climate change and human behavior. Guided by resource scarcity theory and the general strain theory. The laboratory experiment used the recall paradigm to induce extreme heat experiences (Study 1, n = 198), and we found that extreme heat impacts LCB through climate change anxiety: cognitive climate change anxiety tends to increase low-carbon behaviors, while affective climate change anxiety inhibits low-carbon behaviors. The field experiments conducted on actual extreme heat days with simulated purchasing decision-making methods (Study 2, n = 203) further confirmed the laboratory findings. An inverted U-shaped relationship between climate change anxiety and LCB was also revealed. In summary, the current study reveals the differential impact of cognitive and affective climate anxiety on LCB. This finding provides new insights for understanding the complex psychological mechanisms of extreme climate events on consumer behavior, which could also serve as an operational basis for intervention design and policy making.
The growth of articles is reflected in the increasing interdisciplinary research and publications on consumer green products. Scholars from fields as diverse as business, management and accounting, environmental science, social science, and engineering have contributed to more than 400 publications. This article aims to understand the growth of green consumer products by using bibliometric analysis. With the limitation set only for the final stage and English used, a total of 1961 articles were published in the Scopus database from 1990 to 2024. The analysis of document and source types, top keywords, and other bibliometric indicators was explained. In addition, Publish or Perish software was used to analyze citation metrics and highly cited articles. As the global focus on sustainability intensifies, research in this field will likely continue to grow. Future studies should lengthen this work to other article databases such as WOS and Google Scholar to understand how consumer green products can contribute to a more sustainable business future. Besides that, the researcher also can explore how the green marketing mix influences consumer intention to purchase green products available in the market.
In recent years, a growing body of research has focused on green purchasing (GP), emphasizing the need to incorporate environmental considerations into procurement decisions. However, the development of green purchasing capabilities in emerging countries remains poorly understood despite their critical role in fostering sustainability. This study aims to bridge this gap by comprehensively analyzing the factors influencing green purchasing capabilities in emerging countries, with an emphasis on empirical studies. Using a systematic overview approach, studies published from 2000 to 2023 were evaluated, focusing on factors affecting green purchase capability. Thematic analysis revealed three key categories of factors: external, organizational, and individual. External factors include economic conditions, cultural influences, and governmental policies, while organizational variables encompass sustainable business practices and corporate environmental responsibility. Individual drivers include awareness, attitudes, and values. This study highlights the importance of green purchasing in addressing climate change and sustainable aging, emphasizing its potential health benefits for aging populations. The findings suggest that green procurement practices can simultaneously promote environmental sustainability and support the well-being of aging populations. Articles used in this study were retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. Moreover, organizations can play a pivotal role in advancing sustainable aging and climate change mitigation by aligning with sustainability goals and implementing green procurement programs. Governments are encouraged to create policies that foster cultural shifts toward sustainable living and incentivize green purchasing practices. Ultimately, integrating green procurement capabilities in emerging countries can drive economic growth, enhance societal well-being, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, thereby paving the way for a more sustainable future for all.
Consumer behavior and types of consumption have always gone hand in hand, observing how they have been modified over the years according to the needs of consumers and society at any given time. In the present work we intend to carry out a bibliometric analysis of the concept of consumer behavior linked to the different types of consumption that have been identified in previous academic literature. A total of 2,531 articles published in Web of Science and Scopus between 1970 and 2021 have been included in the research carried out, with the aim of presenting results that describe the patterns of authorship and co-authorship, networks, citation and keywords that they present. The contribution of this work to the literature on consumer behavior and consumption has been one of synthesis and organization, and several clusters are identified that include the different types of consumption analysed.
Three experiments supported the hypothesis that people are more willing to express attitudes that could be viewed as prejudiced when their past behavior has established their credentials as nonprejudiced persons. In Study 1, participants given the opportunity to disagree with blatantly sexist statements were later more willing to favor a man for a stereotypically male job. In Study 2, participants who first had the opportunity to select a member of a stereotyped group (a woman or an African American) for a category-neutral job were more likely to reject a member of that group for a job stereotypically suited for majority members. In Study 3, participants who had established credentials as nonprejudiced persons revealed a greater willingness to express a politically incorrect opinion even when the audience was unaware of their credentials. The general conditions under which people feel licensed to act on illicit motives are discussed.
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The authors construct a psychographic profile of the green consumer in terms of variables directly related to purchase behavior, such as price consciousness and general care in shopping, interest in new products, and brand loyalty. Additionally, they address attitudes toward advertising and media preferences. Data from 3264 respondents to the DDB Needham Life Style Study were analyzed. The results show the green consumer to be an opinion leader and a careful shopper who seeks information on products, including information from advertising, but also suggest that the green consumer is rather skeptical of advertising. The implications are that green consumers may be receptive to green marketing and advertising, but marketers should take care not to alienate them by using ambiguous or misleading messages.
This paper considers how a sociological perspective of morality can inform understandings of consumption. In light of recent research that identifies moral forms of consumption practice at a socio-cultural level (e.g. ‘ethical consumers’ and ‘voluntary simplifiers’) it is apparent that an important relationship between consumption, society and morality continues to be of relevance and interest to consumer research. However, research into ethical consumption, fair trade, sustainability, green consumption and more recently consumer citizenship presuppose certain assumptions about the moral nature of the subject at the centre of their investigations whilst not evidencing an explicit or coherent understanding of the underlying sociological conception of morality itself. Accordingly, there is a need for consumer researchers framing their studies at a sociological level to be clearer about the conceptual nature of morality and, moreover, how it relates in a meaningful way to the theoretical claims made in their research. In response, this paper examines the dominant paradigmatic conceptualisations that constitute a sociological perspective of morality. Particularly, it considers (1) how a number of key sociological perspectives on morality can locate streams of consumer research better than is currently the case, (2) how these perspectives suggest that current research into fair trade and ethical consumption invoke a certain type of morality whereas a broader concept is available and finally (3) how a pluralist sociological conception of morality will allow consumer researchers to reframe the types of questions they can ask and so too the types of answers they may find.
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Dishonesty plays a large role in the economy. Causes for (dis)honest behavior seem to be based partially on external rewards, and partially on internal rewards. Here, we investigate how such external and internal rewards work in concert to produce (dis)honesty. We propose and test a theory of self-concept maintenance that allows people to engage to some level in dishonest behavior, thereby benefiting from external benefits of dishonesty, while maintaining their positive view about themselves in terms of being honest individuals. The results show that (1) given the opportunity to engage in beneficial dishonesty, people will engage in such behaviors; (2) the amount of dishonesty is largely insensitive to either the expected external benefits or the costs associated with the deceptive acts; (3) people know about their actions but do not update their self-concepts; (4) causing people to become more aware of their internal standards for honesty decreases their tendency for deception; and (5) increasing the "degrees of freedom" that people have to interpret their actions increases their tendency for deception. We suggest that dishonesty governed by self-concept maintenance is likely to be prevalent in the economy, and understanding it has important implications for designing effective methods to curb dishonesty.Former working paper titles:“(Dis)Honesty: A Combination of Internal and External Rewards” and "Almost Honest: Internal and External Motives for Honesty")
Results of experiments employing the minimal group paradigm (MGP) (Tajfel et al., 1971) have provided evidence that mere categorization can—at least on average—lead to in-group favoritism, i.e., allocating more resources to in-group members than to out-group members. This effect is often explained by sociomotivational processes in which persons favor their own group in order to enhance their social self-esteem (e.g., Tajfel & Turner, 1986). However, in-group favoritism in the MGP can alternatively be explained by assuming that persons simply follow social norms or scripts that are currently accessible and provide behavioral prescriptions for the task at hand. This explanation was tested by experimentally varying the accessibility of behavior scripts with a priming procedure within a MGP. As expected, priming of “loyalty” compared to priming of “equality” led to (a) higher perceptions that loyalty is expected by in-group members, (b) increased in-group favoritism, (c) increased expression of in-group identification. Moreover, while self-esteem ratings were positively correlated with in-group favoritism after priming of loyalty, this relation was reversed after priming of equality.
Priming or nonconscious activation of social knowledge structures has produced a plethora of rather amazing findings over the past 25 years: priming a single social concept such as aggressive can have multiple effects across a wide array of psychological systems, such as perception, motivation, behavior, and evaluation. But we may have reached childhood's end, so to speak, and need now to move on to research questions such as how these multiple effects of single primes occur (the generation problem); next, how these multiple simultaneous priming influences in the environment get distilled into nonconscious social action that has to happen serially, in real time (the reduction problem). It is suggested that models of complex conceptual structures (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980), language use in real-life conversational settings (Clark, 1996), and speech production (Dell, 1986) might hold the key for solving these two important 'second-generation' research problems.
On the basis of the idea that situational norms are mentally represented as associations between environments and normative behavior, it was proposed that an environment can automatically direct normative behavior. More specifically, when situational norms are well-established (e.g., when entering the library, one should be silent), an environment is capable of automatically activating mental representations of normative behavior and the behavior itself. In these experiments, participants were exposed to pictures of environments, and effects on accessibility of representations of normative behavior and on actual behavior were assessed. Results indicated that representations of behavior and actual behavior itself are activated automatically when (a) goals to visit the environment are active and (b) strong associations between environment and normative behavior are established.
Who are the socially conscious consumers? This article typologically classifies socially conscious consumers and evaluates the relative sensitivity of demographic and sociopsychological variables in discriminating degree of social consciousness.
Who are the socially conscious consumers? This article typologically classifies socially conscious consumers and evaluates the relative sensitivity of demographic and sociopsychological variables in discriminating degree of social consciousness.
A review of the literature suggests that traditional segmentation variables (socio-demographics) and personality indicators are of limited use for characterizing the green consumer. Explores the extent to which variables, specific to environmental consciousness, are better able to explain consumers’ pro-environmental purchasing behaviour. Two conceptualizations of the purchasing domain are addressed, namely general green purchasing behaviour and specific purchasing habits relating to five green product categories. Two data sets are used in the analysis, namely marketing students and members of the United Kingdom general public. Suggests that measures of environmental consciousness are closely linked to environmentally-responsible purchasing behaviour, although the strength of the relationships varies according to sample type, the conceptualization of the purchasing domain and the particular product category at issue.
What are the socioeconomic and personality characteristics of consumers who are ecologically concerned? This article presents a measure of ecological concern and examines the relationship between this measure and consumer characteristics. The implications of the findings for marketers and public policy makers are discussed.
Green product development, which addresses environmental issues through product design and innovation as opposed to the traditional end-of-pipe-control approach, is receiving significant attention from customers, industries, and governments around the world. In this paper we develop a quality-based model for analyzing the strategic and policy issues concerning the development of products with conflicting traditional and environmental attributes. On the demand side of the problem, we use the framework of conjoint analysis to structure the preferences of the ordinary and green customers. On the supply side, we apply the theories in optimal product design and market segmentation to analyze the producer's strategic decisions regarding the number of products introduced and their prices and qualities. On the policy side, we evaluate the effects of environmental standards on the economic and environmental consequences of green product development. By jointly considering the interactions among the customers' preferences, the producer's product strategies, and the environmental standards imposed by governments, we present some interesting findings that can be used to manage and regulate the development of green products. Two major findings show that green product development and stricter environmental standards might not necessarily benefit the environment.
Acknowledging the increasing attention in the literature devoted to the incorporation of ethical considerations into consumers'' purchase decisions, this paper explores the notion of an ethical product. It is argued that ethical issues have long been involved in consumers'' product evaluations, but that there has been little academic investigation of ethics in terms of product concepts and theories. Ethics are thus examined in the context of the augmented product concept, and two dimensions of ethical augmentation are identified: direction and content. These dimensions are set out and discussed at some length, and then they are used to construct an ethical product matrix. It is shown how this could be used to provide structure and coherence to examinations of the perceived ethics of any given product offering. The implications of the analysis offered in the paper are discussed, and a number of limitations of the ethical product notion are identified. Finally some conclusions and directions for future research are suggested.
To explore the potentials of organic agriculture, it is important to know how consumers, as well as producers, relate to food quality and food system issues. A consumer survey from the Hamar region in Southern Norway provided information on a number of these issues, and a rapid food system appraisal and a seminar revealed concerns among organic farmers in the region. Multivariate analyses showed that traditional food quality aspects such as freshness and taste, called “observation traits,” were important to all consumers. In addition, those who purchased organic foods were more concerned about ethical, environmental, and health issues, called “reflection traits”. Three consumer orientations in the food market were identified. Consumers with a “practical” orientation were less likely, and those with a “local” orientation in the food market were more likely, to buy organic food, while “social” considerations were equally important to all. The results indicate that many interests of organic farmers coincide with concerns among those who buy organic food, and that these are more complex than the formal rules for organic agriculture. This may provide a basis for identifying common goals and improving communication and cooperation between consumers and producers in order to further develop the organic food system. [Note that organic agriculture is called “ecological agriculture” in the Nordic Region.]
The question of why people are motivated to act altruistically has been an important one for centuries, and across various disciplines. Drawing on previous research on moral regulation, we propose a framework suggesting that moral (or immoral) behavior can result from an internal balancing of moral self-worth and the cost inherent in altruistic behavior. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to write a self-relevant story containing words referring to either positive or negative traits. Participants who wrote a story referring to the positive traits donated one fifth as much as those who wrote a story referring to the negative traits. In Experiment 2, we showed that this effect was due specifically to a change in the self-concept. In Experiment 3, we replicated these findings and extended them to cooperative behavior in environmental decision making. We suggest that affirming a moral identity leads people to feel licensed to act immorally. However, when moral identity is threatened, moral behavior is a means to regain some lost self-worth.
Using a complex experimental design, the effects of price and brand familiarity on brand preferences are examined. Results of the research suggest that changes in brand preferences are asymmetric, and that brand familiarity is a dominant cue. Also, a methodological finding questions the validity of forced-choice experiments.
This article first examines whether brand exposure elicits automatic behavioral effects as does exposure to social primes. Results support the translation of these effects: participants primed with Apple logos behave more creatively than IBM primed and controls; Disney-primed participants behave more honestly than E!-primed participants and controls. Second, this article investigates the hypothesis that exposure to goal-relevant brands (i.e., those that represent a positively valenced characteristic) elicits behavior that is goal directed in nature. Three experiments demonstrate that the primed behavior showed typical goal-directed qualities, including increased performance postdelay, decreased performance postprogress, and moderation by motivation. (c) 2008 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..
In five studies, we measured the extent to which subjects weight moral product attributes in different response modes. We found that nonprice judgments such as likelihood of purchase ratings were more reflective of expressed moral attitudes than were pricing responses, and that holistic price evaluations were especially unlikely to reflect moral considerations. Post-task ratings confirmed the preference results, as did an experiment controlling for the influence of task goals. Our results have implications for compatibility theories of preference elicitation, the predictability of respondent ratings of attribute unacceptability, and the measurement of utilities for morally charged attributes. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.
Three experiments supported the hypothesis that people are more willing to express attitudes that could be viewed as prejudiced when their past behavior has established their credentials as nonprejudiced persons. In Study 1, participants given the opportunity to disagree with blatantly sexist statements were later more willing to favor a man for a stereotypically male job. In Study 2, participants who first had the opportunity to select a member of a stereotyped group (a woman or an African American) for a category-neutral job were more likely to reject a member of that group for a job stereotypically suited for majority members. In Study 3, participants who had established credentials as nonprejudiced persons revealed a greater willingness to express a politically incorrect opinion even when the audience was unaware of their credentials. The general conditions under which people feel licensed to act on illicit motives are discussed.
How green is my wal-let? Organic food growth slows. Reuters Response mode effects and moral val-ues
- N Hunt
- B Dorfman
Hunt, N., & Dorfman, B. (2009, January 28). How green is my wal-let? Organic food growth slows. Reuters. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from http://www.reuters.com Irwin, J.R., & Baron, J. (2001). Response mode effects and moral val-ues. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 84, 177–197.
What the hell”: Continuous temptations and escalation of dishonesty. Unpublished manuscript, Rotman School of Management
- N Mazar
- D Ariely
Mazar, N., & Ariely, D. (2009). " What the hell " : Continuous temp-tations and escalation of dishonesty. Unpublished manuscript, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
How green is my wallet? Organic food growth slows
- N Hunt
- B Dorfman
Hunt, N., & Dorfman, B. (2009, January 28). How green is my wallet? Organic food growth slows. Reuters. Retrieved February 20,
2009, from http://www.reuters.com