From environmental values to pro-environmental consumption behaviors: the moderating role of environmental information

Hung Vu Nguyen  · Long Thanh Do  · Mai Thi Thu Le

Accepted: 15 March 2023

Publish online 1 April 2023

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2023

Current Psychology

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04569-2

Abstract

While values have been studied as key antecedents of behaviors in general and pro-environmental behaviors in particular, empirical evidence has been mixed. The purpose of this study is to identify external moderators that may help facilitate the routes from values to pro-environmental behaviors. In particular, this investigates the role of different environmental information exposure in the environmental value-behavior relationship. Survey data was collected from 293 respondents from three urban groups of consumers in Hanoi, Vietnam. The research results reveal that environmental problem-related information exposure is ineffective in activating biospheric-altruistic value for pro-environmental consumption behaviors. Additionally, exposure to information about pro-environmental actions seems to demotivate pro-environmental consump[1]tion behaviors of biospheric-altruistic people and of those who value authority and influential power while fostering the behaviors among people who value economic benefit. Theoretically, this study highlights the importance of external factors in the human value-behavior relationship. Practically. the research results provide valuable insight into effective information campaign design to construct sustainable consumption culture.

Keywords

Pro-environmental behaviors · Environmental information exposure · Environmental value · Biospheric[1]altruistic value · Egoistic value