Sustainable consumption behaviour: Mediating role of pro-environment self-identity, attitude, and moderation role of environmental protection emotion

Abstract

This study aims to examine how these factors-egoistic and altruistic values and social consumption motivation-stimulus factors-influence sustainable consumption behaviour (response factor), the mediating role of pro-environmental self-identity and attitude (organism factor), and the moderating effect of environmental protection emotion. We used the stimulus organism response theory to gain a solid and holistic understanding of the concept. We collected 328 original surveys from Indian customers who recently purchased sustainable products via convenience and purposive sampling, and we analysed the data by using structural equation modelling. Intriguingly, the results show that (a) stimulus factors, such as egoistic and altruistic values and social consumption motivation, had a positive influence on pro-environment self-identity and attitude and sustainable consumption behaviour; (b) pro-environment self-identity had a positive effect on attitude; (c) mediation factors (pro-environment self-identity and attitude) had a significantly positive mediation relationship between stimulus and response factors; and (d) environmental protection emotion significantly moderated the relationship between stimulus, organism factors, and response factors. The study contributes to the current body of knowledge in the area of sustainable marketing by examining the rapidly growing phenomenon of sustainable consumer behaviour.

Keywords: Altruistic value; Egoistic value; Environmental protection emotion; Pro-environmental self-identity; Social consumption; Sustainable behaviour.