Afterlife karmic beliefs and pro-environmental consumption behaviours of egoistic consumers

Abstract

Previous literature has studied biospheric, altruistic and egoistic values as critical determinants of pro-environmental consumption behaviours. However, while biospheric and altruistic values are evidenced as motivators of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours, academic understanding of the effects of egoistic values has remained incomplete. The aim of this study is to clarify the effects of egoistic values on pro-environmental consumption behaviours by examining the moderating role of religious beliefs in karmic consequences for future lives (hereafter called afterlife karmic beliefs). Data were collected from 346 urban respondents in Vietnam. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to assess measurement reliability and validity before established hypotheses were tested using hierarchical multiple regressions. As expected, the testing results supported the positive effects of biospheric and altruistic values on two pro-environmental consumption behaviours, including electricity-saving and green mobility mode choices. Conversely, egoistic values negatively affected the two behaviours, although only the effect on green mobility mode choices is statistically significant. The findings also showed significant moderating effects of afterlife karmic beliefs on the impacts egoistic values have on the two pro-environmental consumption behaviours. Our findings thus expand the current academic understanding of the effects of values on pro-environmental consumption adoption and imply some practical recommendations for practitioners in constructing a pro-environmental consumption culture.