Effective Sustainability Messages Triggering Consumer Emotion and Action: An Application of the Social Cognitive Theory and the Dual-Process Model

Abstract

Communication utilizing proper message framing is a crucial component in the promotion of sustainability and other related activities. Additionally, engaging all stakeholders in sustainable communication and endeavors is proven to be essential to corporate success. This is especially true for textile and apparel retailers, as they strive to gain competitive advantages through the incorporation of sustainability in their communication with their stakeholders. Therefore, promotional activities consisting of different message framing types can be a profitable way to reach, inform, and persuade consumers to engage in sustainable activities and to support corporate sustainability initiatives. Based on two theoretical foundations, the social cognitive theory and the dual-process model, this study investigates how different aspects of sustainability and message framing can persuade textile and apparel consumers to engage in sustainable behavior. The findings of this study demonstrated that each message framing type significantly influences the consumers’ emotion. Further, when the textile and apparel consumers purchase sustainable products, as a result of conscious decision-making or without much thought put into the buying decision, the act of buying sustainable products per se compels the consumers to make sustainable choices in the future.

Does small and medium enterprise differential leadership increase subordinate knowledge hiding? Evidences from job insecurity, territorial consciousness and leadership performance expectation

“…In addition, social cognitive theory has opened up a new path for social learning process (Scott et al, 2022). Employees bear some negative impacts (e.g., knowledge hiding behavior) from the antecedent of differential leadership management through a series of psychological dynamics caused by a person's information-processing system, which consists of five dimensions, including coding, explanation, search response, reaction evaluation, and reaction practice (Rakib et al, 2022). Hence, exploring a new insight into the link between differentiated management and knowledge hiding is needed.…”

Improvisation and university students’ entrepreneurial intention in China: The roles of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial policy support

“…In social cognitive theory, triadic reciprocal causation is used to interpret psychosocial functioning. According to triadic reciprocal causation, behavioral, cognitive and other personal and environmental factors are the determinants of mutual influence ( Wood and Bandura, 1989 ; Rakib et al, 2022 ). Entrepreneurial behavior is affected by cognitive and personal factors, such as entrepreneurial self-efficacy and personal capabilities ( Bandura, 1977 ; Leybourne and Sadler-Smith, 2006 ; Antoncic et al, 2015 ; Schunk and DiBenedetto, 2020 ; Cai et al, 2020b ).…”

“…In light of the entrepreneurial event model, entrepreneurial self-efficacy is a prerequisite for entrepreneurial intention and behavior ( Esfandiar et al, 2019 ; Cai et al, 2020b ; Antoncic et al, 2021 ; Rakib et al, 2022 ). The entrepreneurial event model posits that perceptions of feasibility are directly influenced by self-efficacy.…”

“…Similarly, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, a belief that individuals can effectively complete entrepreneurial activities and achieve success ( Antoncic et al, 2015 , 2021 ; Hsu et al, 2019 ; Edwards et al, 2022 ), may be affected by their capabilities, such as improvisation. The entrepreneurial event model posits that entrepreneurial intention stems from the feasibility of entrepreneurship, the perception of feasible future states related to starting a business successfully, which is influenced directly by entrepreneurial self-efficacy ( Esfandiar et al, 2019 ; Cai et al, 2020b ; Antoncic et al, 2021 ; Rakib et al, 2022 ). It can be seen that improvisation affects entrepreneurial intention through the bridge of entrepreneurial self-efficacy.…”

Reducing the Use of Disposable Plastics through Public Engagement Campaigns: An Experimental Study of the Effectiveness of Message Appeals, Modalities, and Sources

“…Lastly, we also examined the potential mediating role of emotional arousal (positive vs. negative), which is one of the key determinants of pro-environmental behaviors [ 19 ]. Although the influence of emotions has been overlooked within environmental research for a long time, recent studies have identified affective motives as important factors in affecting sustainable behaviors [ 20 , 21 ]. For instance, the literature indicates that emotions exert a crucial impact on rational processes [ 22 ] and may motivate environmental protection even more than data-intensive arguments [ 23 ].…”