Spirituality, consumer ethics, and sustainability: the mediating role of moral identity

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of moral identity on the relations between the independent variable of spirituality and the original consumer ethics scale (OCES) and attitudes towards doing good and recycling practices of the consumer. Design/methodology/approach To test the various hypotheses of the model, the methodology used is that of partial least squares (PLS) path-modelling, which is a variance-based structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings This research reveals a full mediation of the construct of moral identity in the relationship between spirituality and doing good/recycling practices, and the rejection of those who do not perform these practices that are responsible from the point of view of sustainability. In addition, the existence is shown of a partial mediation of the construct of moral identity in the relationship between spirituality and consumer ethics scale (CES). Practical implications It is demonstrated that the main effect on the attitude of consumers towards the consumption of products and services of companies whose behaviour is responsible towards sustainability is mainly motivated by having a high standard of ethical and moral values and such strong beliefs, such as those of honesty, kindness, generosity and compassion. The main implication of this investigation is that the authors’ results suggest that the identification of these types of consumers would constitute an effective marketing strategy and an important variable of segmentation. Originality value This research is unique in two ways. First, this study proposes a model that provides a solution to the research problems caused by the incorporation of a fifth dimension into the OCES. Second, this paper is the first to investigate the role played by the moral identity as a mediator between the relationship of spirituality and attitudes towards unethical behaviour and doing good/recycling practices.

The yoga of sustainable diets: Exploring consumers mind and spirit

“…Over time, spirituality and mindfulness became important measures for human behavior, especially in the therapeutic, sociological and psychological context. In consumer sciences, the importance of both measures has also been gaining growing attention, with more and more studies focusing on the various benefits and limitations of these two concepts for determining consumer behavior (Rodriguez-Rad and Ramos- Hidalgo 2018, Fischer et al 2017. This is especially true for the concept of spirituality which, until recently, has been strongly associated with religion but is now perceived as a separate psychological construct (Hill et al 2000).…”

A Spanish perspective on the impact on religiosity and spirituality on consumer ethics

“…A reliable definition of consumer ethics is ‘the moral principles and standards that guide the behavior of individuals or groups as they obtain, use and dispose of goods and services’ (Muncy & Vitell, , p. 298). Other authors have also made significant contributions to the advancement of consumer ethics from both the theoretical and empirical perspective (Al‐Khatib et al, ; Arli & Pekerti, ; Arli et al, ; Culiberg, ; Rodriguez‐Rad & Ramos‐Hidalgo, Vitell, ). A scale of consumer ethics has been developed from these studies that allows consumers’ ethical beliefs to be observed in relation to their attitude to certain behaviours that could, at best, be considered questionable.…”

Sustainable Behavior among Spanish University Students in Terms of Dimensions of Religion and Spirituality

“…In Buddhism, for example, it has been associated with corporate environmental responsibility [25] and sustainability [26], both in socio-institutional contexts. On an individual level, religion and spirituality facilitate sustainable behavior through their influence on personal values [27], motivations and goals [20], lifestyles [28], ethics [29,30] and moral identity [31]. Empirically, previous studies have also linked Christian and Buddhist religiousness to greater sustainable consumption [32], intrinsic religious orientation with green product purchases [33] and religiousness/spirituality with sustainable behavior and attitudes (cited in [20]).…”