Effect of psychological factors on green purchase intention

: a mediating role of green trust and environmental responsibility

Abstract

In times of climate change, sustainable consumer behavior is an important field of research. It is therefore becoming increasingly important to understand the complexity of sustainable consumption. This master thesis examines the influence of empathy and environmental guilt on consumers' purchase intentions for environmentally sustainable products. Building on existing literature and theories such as the theory of planned behavior, this study examines how these psychological factors, together with green trust and environmental responsibility, influence green purchase intentions. The empirical analysis was conducted using a quantitative online survey with 273 participants. The results show that both empathy and environmental guilt significantly increase green purchase intentions. Furthermore, environmental responsibility mediates these relationships, highlighting its crucial role in promoting sustainable consumption. However, green trust did not show a significant mediating effect. These findings can inform marketing strategies and policies aimed at promoting environmentally friendly behavior among consumers, thus contributing to the overall goals of sustainability and climate change mitigation.

Date of Award	16 Dec 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Leonor Almeida (Supervisor)