Designing Eco-Friendly Message Sidedness for Consumer Happiness: How Inference of Motivation Shapes Affective Consumer Welfare

Abstract

Persuasion-oriented communication for green products often provokes skepticism about corporate motives, undermining consumers' emotional satisfaction. This study proposes that negative motivational inference triggered by eco-friendly messages can lead to unfavorable attitudes, reducing emotional well-being. To address this, the study examines how message sidedness and appeal type shape emotional well-being. Moreover, by integrating the Persuasion Knowledge Model and Attribution Theory, we propose a sequential psychological pathway in which inferences about corporate motives lead to the formation of attitudes and emotional well-being. The results show that when only environmental benefits are emphasized, two-sided messages elicit more favorable attitudes, whereas one-sided messages are more effective when environmental and functional appeals are combined. These effects, stronger under high involvement, are mediated by reduced self-serving motive inference, enhancing emotional well-being. This study clarifies how green message strategies shape consumer welfare and offers a balanced communication approach that promotes both consumer well-being and corporate goals.