Exploring the Value-Action Gap in Green Consumption: Roles of Risk Aversion, Subjective Knowledge, and Gender Differences

Abstract

Concern for the environment is widespread and consumers generally hold favorable values toward green consumption; however, they often struggle to translate these values into actual green consumption behaviors. This so-called “green gap” has attracted much research interest in recent years, yet questions remain regarding the factors that may influence it and what form this influence takes. Taking the cognitive view in studying green consumption, we seek to shed light on the green gap by empirically testing the roles of risk aversion and subjective knowledge as potential moderators of the green value-action disparity. Proposing a moderated moderation model, we additionally explore the categorical interaction effect of gender differences with risk aversion and subjective knowledge in predicting green purchase behaviors. Using structured survey data (N = 328), we demonstrate that consumers lower in general risk aversion and higher in green subjective knowledge have greater consistency between their values and behaviors in the green consumption context. Further, we reveal a conditional interaction effect of gender in which women were less risk-averse and more knowledgeable than men, resulting in greater green value-behavior consistency. Our study contributes to the growing body of research on sustainable consumption by offering psychographic explanations for the inconsistency between what consumers say and do when it comes to green purchasing. Implications of this study encourage consumer researchers, global managers, and public policy makers, when developing green marketing programs or when seeking to strengthen the green value-action relationship in general, to consider how risk aversion and subjective knowledge may interact with gender differences.