The power of minority: interplay between descriptive norms and emotional appeals on green behaviors

This study examines the interplay between descriptive norms (minority vs. majority) and emotional appeals (guilt vs. pride) for influencing sustainable consumer behaviors, such as recycling and food waste reduction. Experiment 1, which employed a laboratory experimental method, demonstrated that minority descriptive norms paired with guilt appeals and majority descriptive norms paired with pride appeals significantly enhanced green behavioral intentions. Moderated mediation analysis revealed that attention focus mediated the effects of descriptive norms, with emotional appeals moderating this mediation. Experiment 2, which employed a field study at a hotel buffet, demonstrated the potential generalizability of these findings. This showed that minority descriptive norms combined with guilt appeals were as persuasive as majority descriptive norms combined with pride appeals, effectively reducing food waste. These findings highlight the importance of combining emotional appeals with descriptive norms to design impactful sustainability campaigns applicable to real-world contexts.