The role of climate change conspiracy in consumers’ pro-environmental behaviors

Abstract

Objective of the study: This study seeks to investigate psychological processes driving consumers to engage in home energy efficiency investment behaviors and the potentially inhibiting role climate change conspiracy beliefs play in those processes. Methodology/approach: Our conceptual model offers a set of hypotheses that we test through structural equation modeling. Main results: Our model offers strong support for the values-beliefs-norms (VBN) model and the inhibiting role of climate change conspiracy beliefs in consumer energy investment behaviors. Theoretical/methodological contributions: Our research utilizes value-belief-norm (VBN) theory to test our hypotheses. Additionally, we utilized conspiracy theory and specifically, conspiracy ideation, to demonstrate the role conspiracy beliefs play in decisions to engage in energy investment behaviors. Relevance/originality: Conspiracy theory and climate change are two important topics affecting society. This is the first research that investigates both of these topics within the framework of VBN theory.  Hence, our results have significant theoretical, management and social implications. Management or social implications: Results suggest that those investigating decisions to adopt environmental products or engage in pro-environmental behaviors should consider the inhibiting role of conspiracies and using the VBN model as a key foundation.  Moreover, these results indicate that how managers promote pro-environmental behaviors to customers and society must consider conspiracy ideation in developing their marketing strategies.