“I do believe in karma”: understanding consumers' pro-environmental consumption with an integrated framework of theory of planned behavior, norm activation model and self-determination theory

Abstract

PurposeLittle is known about how religious beliefs can motivate consumers to behave more pro-environmentally. Drawn on an integrated model of the theory of planned behavior, the norm activation model and the self-determination theory, this study aims to explore the effects of religious beliefs (especially, karmic beliefs (KB) and beliefs in a just world (BJW)) on consumers' pro-environmental behavior.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 736 consumers recruited from the eight most populous cities in Vietnam using the mall-intercept survey approach and structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to test the hypothesized model and hypotheses.FindingsThe findings indicate that KB and BJW can increase consumers' green intrinsic motivation, which subsequently encourages them to engage in pro-environmental consumption. Moreover, awareness of consequences (AOC) and ascription of responsibility (AOR) serially indirectly inspire consumers' sustainable consumption through serial mediators, including personal norms (PN), attitudes toward green products and green purchase intention.Practical implicationsBased on the findings, some theoretical and managerial implications for pro-environmental consumption are provided.Originality/valueThe study offers fresh perspectives on the role of religious beliefs in pro-environmental research. Additionally, this study sheds new light on the marketing literature by integrating the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and norm activation model (NAM) with self-determination theory (SDT) to explore the underlying mechanisms and effects of psychological components on consumers' pro-environmental behaviors.

Customer’s attitude and purchasing behaviour of green food: The moderating role of environmental concerns and trust

“…The few works that used SDT concentrated on Asia and not Africa (e.g., Khan et al, 2023, Vietnam;Duong et al, 2023, Vietnam;Roehrich et al, 2017, China;Kim and Lee, 2022, South Korea). Second, this research highlights customer purchasing behavior as a replacement for customer intentions, which has been the focus of past studies (Khan et al, 2023;Duong et al, 2023). Third, this study focuses on a developing economy with limited existing work (Prakash et al, 2018).…”

“…The decision to buy green food is a complex phenomenon influenced by numerous factors, including social pressures and norms (Lang et al, 2022), geographic factors (Asad et al, 2022), price (Kushwah et al, 2019), and availability (Shabbir et al, 2020). To explain this complex phenomenon, scholars have adopted theories such as the self-construal theory (Basha and Lal, 2019), social comparison theory (Zahid et al, 2022), and the theory of planned behavior (Duong et al, 2023). While these studies have investigated the rise in interest in buying green food, there is a knowledge gap concerning the motives, particularly in developing economies (Hansen et al, 2018).…”

“…Third, SDT integrates both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators regarding the purchase behavior of green food. Past studies have primarily focused on either extrinsic motivational factor, such as rewards and benefits (Amatulli et al, 2019;Lang et al, 2022), or intrinsic motivational factors, such as trust and belonging (Asif et al, 2018;Duong et al, 2023). To the best knowledge of the author, all this past research has emphasized motivational factors in the purchase of green food, with very little attention given to the integration of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators regarding the purchase behavior of green food.…”

Exploring Factors That Shape Indonesian’s Intentions to Purchase Herbal Medicine

“…In addition to attitude, subjective norm plays a pivotal role in shaping one's intention toward a particular action. Subjective norm encapsulates an individual's personal evaluation of how those in their vicinity react to or assess the behavior in question (Duong et al 2023). These individuals could encompass family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and other close acquaintances.…”