Less is more - The effect of VR-induced awe on minimalism and sustainable consumption

Overconsumption is a major contributor to environmental degradation. To help tackle this problem, across two studies, we investigated the effect of awe on minimalism and sustainable consumption, along with the role of environmental message framing. Additionally, we included different dimensions of self-diminishment as possible mediators and explored the role of construal thinking. In Study 1 (N = 118) and Study 2 (N = 228), participants were randomly assigned to watch a 360-degree video in Virtual Reality (VR) of either the northern lights (awe condition) or a generic forest (neutral condition), paired with either a gain-framed or loss-framed environmental voice-over message. To assess actual behaviour, participants were offered to choose one of several gifts, which were either sustainable or unsustainable. If a participant declined the offer, their behaviour was labelled as minimalistic. Results showed that awe significantly predicted minimalistic behaviour (Study 1) and sustainable consumption behaviour (Study 2), the latter only occurring for novice VR users. No effects were found of message framing or construal thinking. Exploratory analyses showed that the vastness relative to self dimension of self-diminishment mediated the effect of awe on intended and self-reported sustainable consumption. Furthermore, dispositional awe was found to predict intended, self-reported and actual sustainable consumption. We conclude that VR is a useful tool to induce feelings of awe and make people engage in more minimalistic and sustainable consumption behaviours. The underlying mechanisms need to be investigated in future research.