A new perspective to promote low-carbon consumption: The influence of reference groups

Lingyun Mi, Hanlin Zhu, Jie Yang, Xiaoli Gan, Ting Xu, Lijie Qiao and Qingyan Liu

Ecological Economics, 2019, vol. 161, issue C, 100-108

Abstract: Reference groups are crucial factor in consumer purchasing decisions. However, we know little about how such groups affect low-carbon consumption behavior (LCB), especially the impact of habitual low-carbon consumption behavior (HLCB). To expand on the previous research and encourage LCB from the perspective of reference groups, we conducted a social study of Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China (N = 351). We aim to test how the influences of reference groups act on the purchasing low-carbon consumption behavior (PLCB) and HLCB of residents. The results indicate that all of the influences work indirectly through low-carbon consumption intention (LCI). Among these influences, the informational influence and utilitarian influence positively promote LCI, while the value-expressive influence inhibits it. The intention engendered by reference groups has a significantly greater impact on residents' HLCB than on their PLCB, and it is more conducive to promoting a low-carbon lifestyle.

Keywords: Low-carbon consumption; Reference group; Structural equation model; Multi-group analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:161:y:2019:i:c:p:100-108

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.03.019

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