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Impact of Environmental Concern on Ecological Purchasing Behavior: The Moderating Effect of Prosociality

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  • Libin Chen

    (Business School, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China)

  • Qi Wu

    (Business School, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China)

  • Lin Jiang

    (School of Business, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China)

Abstract

Promoting ecological consumption is gradually becoming a social consensus. A crucial point of ecological consumption is consumers’ willingness to purchase eco-friendly products, which has become an important consideration for government policymakers. In order to achieve social responsibility, enterprises are also finding ways to encourage consumers to buy eco-friendly products. In this study, we explored the relationship between environmental concern and ecological purchasing behavior, and we tested the moderating effect of prosociality in order to explain why people act in a manner that benefits society. A self-administered questionnaire was developed to gather data, and statistical hypotheses were validated through a structural equation model. The results indicated that enhancing consumers’ environmental concerns can effectively influence their eco-purchasing behavior. Therefore, ecological attitude and ecological responsibility have a direct influence on ecological purchasing behavior. Environmental concern positively influences ecological attitude and ecological responsibility through ecological values and ecological affects. Furthermore, the prosociality moderating effect is also significant. Prosociality positively moderates the relationships among ecological responsibility, ecological attitude, and ecological purchasing behavior. The relationships among these factors are important to consider when developing ecological marketing campaigns and communication strategies to influence consumers’ ecological behavior. Therefore, fostering prosociality among citizens is also an effective way to enhance the level of eco-consumption.

Suggested Citation

  • Libin Chen & Qi Wu & Lin Jiang, 2022. "Impact of Environmental Concern on Ecological Purchasing Behavior: The Moderating Effect of Prosociality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:5:p:3004-:d:764078
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    2. Halkos, George & Aslanidis, Panagiotis-Stavros, 2025. "The Socio-Cultural and Spiritual Dimensions on Non-marketed Environmental Valuation," MPRA Paper 124961, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Gokhan Aydin, 2025. "Thresholds of Sustainability: Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Green Buying Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-23, May.
    4. Sertaç Ercan & Burak Yaprak & Mehmet Zahid Ecevit & Orhan Duman, 2025. "Sustainable but Disgusting? A Psychological Model of Consumer Reactions to Human-Hair-Derived Textiles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-19, August.
    5. Aslanidis, Panagiotis-Stavros & Halkou, Panagiota & Halkos, George, 2025. "Towards an ethical consensus for sustainable development: the role of values, morals, and norms in shaping pro-environmental behaviour," MPRA Paper 124903, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Abdullah Al Mamun & Marvello Yang & Naeem Hayat & Jingzu Gao & Qing Yang, 2025. "The nexus of environmental values, beliefs, norms and green consumption intention," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    7. Zohra Ghali-Zinoubi, 2022. "Examining Drivers of Environmentally Conscious Consumer Behavior: Theory of Planned Behavior Extended with Cultural Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-17, July.
    8. Cevat Tosun & Yasin Soylu & Lütfi Atay & Dallen J. Timothy, 2023. "Environmentally Friendly Behaviors of Recreationists and Natural Area Tourists: A Comparative Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-18, July.

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