The Effect of Temporal Orientation on Green Purchase Behavior: Comparing U.S. and Chinese Consumers

Abstract

There is growing evidence in the consumer behavior literature indicating that culture shapes individuals’ environmental worldviews, which in turn, affect consumption behavior. This paper develops this linkage further by exploring the effect of temporal orientation on green consumption among U.S. and Chinese consumers. The tested model positions two individual-level temporal orientations — tradition and prudence — as antecedents of green value, which in turn, affects attitude toward purchasing green products and purchase behavior. Survey results from 305 U.S. and 365 Chinese participants indicate that in both samples, green value is associated positively with attitude toward green purchase and green purchase behavior. However, in the U.S. sample, prudence alone drives green value and the resulting behavior, while for Chinese, both tradition and prudence underlie green value. These findings support the value-attitude-behavior hierarchy in both cultures, but also show that different temporal orientation facets underlie green value in each culture. Theoretical and practical implications are further discussed.