Does seeking the best lead to sustainable consumption?

Abstract

Although previous research has extensively examined external and internal factors influencing sustainable consumption, little attention has been paid to the role of consumers’ decision-making styles. This research examined the effect of maximizing—defined as the decision tendency to extensively search for the best choice—on sustainable consumption. Across four experimental studies and one field study, we show that maximizing consumers evaluate sustainable products more favorably than non-maximizing consumers. We identify status motive as a key underlying mechanism underlying this effect. Moreover, the status-based effect emerges only when sustainable consumption possesses social signaling attributes and disappears when such attributes are absent. Furthermore, we demonstrate downstream consequences of maximizing on sustainable consumption, showing that maximizers are more inclined to share their sustainable consumption behavior on social media platforms. These findings offer important theoretical contributions and practical implications for promoting sustainable consumption.