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By Ernesto A Hurtado-Garza Jr
As consumers become more aware of the environmental impact of their choices, sustainable consumption has emerged as a critical focus. Yet, despite widespread pro-environmental attitudes, many purchasing decisions do not align with these values. This disconnect, known as the "attitude-behavior gap," raises important questions about why sustainable intentions often fail to translate into action. This research explores the factors behind this gap, aiming to develop strategies for bridging it.
What Does Previous Research Say?
What Does Previous Research Say?
Existing studies highlight several key barriers to sustainable consumption:
✔ Price Sensitivity: Sustainable products often have a "green premium," making them less attractive to cost-conscious consumers (Biswas & Roy, 2015).
✔ Convenience Factor: Sustainable options may not always be the most accessible or practical choice (Steg et al., 2014).
✔ Misinformation & Greenwashing: Lack of trust in sustainability claims reduces consumer motivation (Peattie, 2010).
✔ Social Influence: Consumers are influenced by peer behavior and societal norms (Johnson et al., 2017).
✔ Digital Media’s Role: Social media promotes both sustainable and unsustainable consumption patterns (Lee et al., 2019).
Key Constructs & Framework
Psychological Factors
Eco-anxiety: The fear of environmental damage influences consumer choices (Peattie, 2010).
Cognitive dissonance: Consumers experience internal conflict when their actions don’t match their values.
Social Norms
Consumers tend to follow group behaviors and societal expectations (Johnson et al., 2017).
"Social proof" plays a role—if people see others buying sustainable products, they are more likely to do the same.
Digital Media Influence
Positive impact: Social media raises awareness of sustainable practices.
Negative impact: Advertising and influencer culture often encourage overconsumption.
Methods
Proposed Research Study
Proposed Research Study
To examine how these factors influence the attitude-behavior gap, this study will use a mixed-methods approach:
Survey (Quantitative Data)
Target group: 500 consumers aged 18-45.
Questions: Assess pro-environmental attitudes vs. actual purchasing decisions.
Interviews (Qualitative Data)
Focus groups of 10 participants each.
Discussions on personal shopping habits, perceptions of social norms, and digital media influence.
Social Media Analysis
Tracking sustainability-related hashtags and trends to see how digital content affects purchasing choices.
Why These Methods?
✔ Surveys provide broad, measurable data on consumer behaviors.
✔ Interviews offer deeper insights into personal motivations and barriers.
✔ Social media analysis helps understand real-time trends in sustainable consumption.
Theoretical Framework
Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) Theory
Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) Theory
This study is grounded in Stern et al.’s (1999) VBN Theory, which explains how values, beliefs, and norms shape consumer behavior.
Core Principles of VBN Theory:
People with strong pro-environmental values are more likely to adopt sustainable behaviors.
Personal norms (i.e., feeling a moral responsibility) influence actions more than general awareness.
Findings & Implications (To be addressed in the final project conclusion)
What We Expect to Learn
Which barriers are most influential in preventing sustainable consumption.
How social pressure and digital media trends shape consumer decisions.
Ways to bridge the attitude-behavior gap to promote more sustainable choices.
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