Influence of social self-identification on sustainable consumption: Moderating role of future self-continuity
(A2019-9104)

AUTHORS

Hyerin Ryu, Sungkyunkwan University; Sunkyu Jun, Sungkyunkwan University

KEYWORDS

Sustainable consumption; Social self-identification; Future self-continuity

ABSTRACT

Recent studies showed that social self-identification contributed to intentions and behaviors for the sustainable consumption. Despite researchers’ emphasis on the independent effect of social self-identification, a boundary condition in which the effect is fostered or hindered has been less addressed. We argue that the effect of social self-identification varies across consumers who differ in attributing meanings to the sustainable consumption. Focusing on the temporal aspect inherent in the decision about sustainable consumption, particularly in terms of tradeoff between the present and the future, we propose that the effect of social self-identification on sustainable consumption varies depending on the future self-continuity. Study 1 showed that future self-continuity moderated the influence of social self-identification on behavioral tendency for organic food consumption. Study 2 replicated the moderating effect of future self-continuity on behavioral intention for environmentally friendly consumption, which was measured as a response to public communication aimed to prevent deforestation.