The Impact of Environmental Emotions on Sustainable Purchase Intention: The Role of Environmental Guilt, Shame, Anxiety, and Social Factors

Abstract

Purpose – This study investigates the psychological and social factors influencing sustainable purchase intention by examining how environmental guilt, environmental shame, environmental anxiety, green attitude, and subjective norms shape consumers' sustainable consumption decisions.
Design/methodology/approach – Conducted with a sample of 474 Turkish consumers aged 18 and above, this research employs the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method.
Results – Findings reveal that environmental guilt and environmental shame significantly increase environmental anxiety, which in turn directly influences sustainable purchase intention. Moreover, green attitude is identified as the strongest predictor of sustainable purchase intention, while subjective norms also affect sustainable purchase intention.
Discussion – The results provide essential theoretical and practical insights into how environmental emotions shape consumer decision-making. The study highlights the importance of integrating psychological factors into sustainable marketing strategies, emphasizing the role of emotions in fostering pro-environmental behaviors. This research contributes to the literature by presenting a comprehensive model that explains the influence of environmental emotions on sustainable purchase intention.