The influence of contrasting values on consumer receptiveness to ethical information and ethical choices

Abstract

Ethical consumption is more likely when consumers are receptive to ethical product information and consider such information when making purchasing decisions. Building on communication theory, we develop and test a framework illustrating how different consumer values induce contrasting effects on consumers' willingness to choose ethical products through affecting consumer receptiveness to ethical product information.We present an online survey with 590 US consumers, which was analyzed with covariancebased structural equation modeling (CB-SEM). Results show that altruistic and biospheric consumer values increase consumers' willingness to choose ethical products via trust in ethical advertising and ethical purchase decision involvement. In contrast, egoistic consumer values reduce ethical purchase decision involvement, and ultimately consumers' willingness to choose ethical products. Thus, we illustrate the mechanisms through which contrasting values take effect. Results are discussed in light of theoretical and managerial implications and reemphasize the need for better adaptation of ethical marketing to individual consumer characteristics.

Motivating Sustainable Change in Tourism Behavior: The First- and Third-Person Effects of Hard and Soft Messages

“…There are several reasons for this, all highlighted by our results. One is that, in line with VIT, the behaviors most attractive to tourists are the ones most closely aligned with their higher-order values and attitudes [26]. If these are dominated by egoistic and hedonic values, rather than altruistic or biospheric ones, a hard pressure message will cue the reduction in freedom of choice resulting from the message, and motivate reactance.…”

“…In this context, how you think others might change their tourism behavior does not imply that you change yourself, which reduces the motivational effectiveness of the hard pressure message. While Osburg et al [26] suggest that individuals should be particularly involved in decisions that are consistent with their value orientation, Steg et al [34] argue that values reflect which overarching goals are generally most important to people, and that normative goals drive people towards actions they believe are appropriate in a given situation. Related to our Hypotheses 3 and 4, where we in more detail scrutinize how soft and hard messages result in FPP and TPP across consumer attitudes towards environmental issues, it is interesting to see that our findings align well with the suggestions in previous research [26,34].…”

“…Translated to our context, this implies that even though a message is designed in a way that would otherwise be considered a hard, or assertive message, it is less likely to evoke reactance if it is consistent with the consumers higher-order values, i.e., their currently held altruistic and biospheric attitudes [28]. Moreover, drawing on vested interests being related to the consistency between attitude and behavior, we suggest that consumer reactions to advertising messages should differ, corresponding to differing values and attitudes [26]. We therefore argue, in line with the findings by Pham and Mandel [29], that consumer responses to persuasive sustainability messages depend on their preexisting attitudes towards sustainability and environmental issues.…”

“…Brehm and Bryant [25] have shown that messages in line with or neutral to one's own convictions are less likely to evoke reactance, whereas for messages that are contrary to one's own beliefs, reactance is likely to be much stronger. Similarly, Vested Interest Theory (VIT) describes how a consumer's interest in an object depends on how it corresponds with his/her value orientation [26]. Although messages of sustainability and conscious consumption are largely considered to be in accordance with the current value regime shift, it is fair to say that the degree of focus and interest in the subject varies.…”

“…For the tourism industry, and public policy makers, a more fruitful way to motivate future sustainable tourism behavior will be to address the normative goals [34], and the altruistic and biospheric values [26] of those tourists who now fall in the low attitude strength group. While biospheric values are endorsed across the entire globe, the strengthening of these, relative to egoistic and hedonistic values, is a strategy that will enable harder pressure, and thus more effect, as these values develop.…”