Dispositional awe, meaning in life, and socially responsible consumption

Abstract

ABSTRACT The antecedents of socially responsible consumption have been increasingly discussed in the field of consumer ethics theory. However, the potential emotional factors influencing socially responsible consumers are less researched. To fill this gap, our study introduces a specific emotional disposition – dispositional awe – to the research literature on socially responsible consumption and further proposes that a fundamental psychological need – meaning in life – could explain the enhancing effect of dispositional awe on socially responsible consumption. Through a series of analysis, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modeling (SEM), and moderated mediation analysis, we confirm that dispositional awe could enhance personal meaning in life, which in turn affects the socially responsible consumption of consumers. Materialism plays a moderating role in these causal links. Our study contributes to enhance knowledge about socially responsible consumption and provides a new direction to guide consumer behavior in marketing context.