When and how do interventions promote pro-environmental spillover behaviour? The role of goal importance and (un)conscious goal pursuit
(A2025-126107)

AUTHORS

Morgan De Rocker, Ghent University; Iris Vermeir, ghent university; Adriaan Spruyt, Ghent University

ABSTRACT

Behavioural science has identified several interventions that increase the likelihood of consumers making pro-environmental choices. The challenge, however, is how to encourage the adoption of consecutive, pro-environmental choices amongst consumers. This is the challenge we addressed in this paper; we investigated through multiple studies when and why an initial pro-environmental choice increases the likelihood of making subsequent pro-environmental choices (i.e., positive spillover). From a goal-based approach, we tried to demonstrate that the direction of the behavioural spillover effect is critically dependent upon conscious vs. unconscious goal pursuit and goal importance. Our findings argue for interventions that unconsciously activate environmentally friendly goals because by creating idea of free choice, they can reinforce self-perception of consumers with both high and low importance, resulting in positive spillover behaviour.