To buy or not to buy: The roles of self-identity, attitudes, perceived behavioral control and norms in organic consumerism

Abstract

The current study examined the role psychological determinants (self-identity, attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and norms) play in organic consumerism. Participants (N=252, meanage=44.35, SD=15.29, 97% resided in Australia) were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental conditions: (1) organic identity prime, (2) pro-environmental identity prime, and (3) neither pro-environmental nor organic identity primes (control). Analysis of variance revealed that organic identity prime was associated with significant increase in intentions to purchase organic products, relative to both pro-environmental identity and control conditions. Follow-up mediation analysis indicated that organic self-identity increased consumer intentions by influencing their attitudes and group norms. These results demonstrate that organic identity can be primed to create identity-congruent shifts toward organic consumerism. Importantly, these findings have direct application for marketing strategies aiming at promoting and developing an "organic" brand.