{"title":"Going green to repair damaged self-concept: The interplay of self-deficit and benefit appeals on green consumer behavior","authors":"Sujin Kim","doi":"10.1002/cb.2335","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>This research is an empirical investigation of the interaction effect between self-deficit and benefit-appeal message framing upon subsequent environmental sustainability decision-making. Based on the self-discrepancy theory, the current research demonstrates that behavioral intentions that encourage environmental sustainability could serve as a means of compensating for the self-deficit appraisal. Two online experiments empirically test that self-deficit moderated the effect of benefit-appeal (self vs. other) on ad evaluation and purchasing intention toward an environmentally sustainable brand. In particular, Study 1 demonstrated that when in a self-deficit state, self-benefit appeals are more effective than altruistic other-benefit appeals in enhancing positive advertising evaluation and purchase intention toward a brand that advocates environmental sustainability. On the other hand, the opposite pattern was captured when self-deficit was minimized. Study 2 replicated these findings using a different brand, confirming the interaction effect between self-deficit and benefit appeal, and further investigated whether consumers' positive ad evaluation mediates the interaction effect of benefit appeals and self-deficit on purchase intention. The findings also offer managerial implications recommending that advertisers and marketers tailor their ad messaging to match consumers' desires and wants.</p>","PeriodicalId":48047,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Consumer Behaviour","volume":"23 5","pages":"2318-2334"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Consumer Behaviour","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cb.2335","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BUSINESS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This research is an empirical investigation of the interaction effect between self-deficit and benefit-appeal message framing upon subsequent environmental sustainability decision-making. Based on the self-discrepancy theory, the current research demonstrates that behavioral intentions that encourage environmental sustainability could serve as a means of compensating for the self-deficit appraisal. Two online experiments empirically test that self-deficit moderated the effect of benefit-appeal (self vs. other) on ad evaluation and purchasing intention toward an environmentally sustainable brand. In particular, Study 1 demonstrated that when in a self-deficit state, self-benefit appeals are more effective than altruistic other-benefit appeals in enhancing positive advertising evaluation and purchase intention toward a brand that advocates environmental sustainability. On the other hand, the opposite pattern was captured when self-deficit was minimized. Study 2 replicated these findings using a different brand, confirming the interaction effect between self-deficit and benefit appeal, and further investigated whether consumers' positive ad evaluation mediates the interaction effect of benefit appeals and self-deficit on purchase intention. The findings also offer managerial implications recommending that advertisers and marketers tailor their ad messaging to match consumers' desires and wants.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Consumer Behaviour aims to promote the understanding of consumer behaviour, consumer research and consumption through the publication of double-blind peer-reviewed, top quality theoretical and empirical research. An international academic journal with a foundation in the social sciences, the JCB has a diverse and multidisciplinary outlook which seeks to showcase innovative, alternative and contested representations of consumer behaviour alongside the latest developments in established traditions of consumer research.