Ethical consumption and consumers’ decision making : the role of moral intuition

Purpose – This study was undertaken to explore the understudied antecedents of moral reasoning and cognitive processes that ultimately shape ethical consumption. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the socio-intuitionist model are integrated. Holistic, inferential, and affective dimensions of intuition are identified as critical antecedents of environmental concerns that then influence ethical consumption. Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to analyze intuitive judgments and ethical concerns in 256 U.S. undergraduates. The New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) is used to measure ethical concerns and the Ecologically Conscious Consumer Behavior (ECCB) instrument is used to measure ethical consumption. Findings – The results indicate that inferential intuition, but not affective intuition, significantly predicts ethical concerns (NEP), which in turn significantly influence all five dimensions of ethical consumption behavior (ECCB). Practical implications – Managers and marketing strategists should focus on non-rational influences such as moral intuition to effectively promote ethical and responsible consumption. Originality/value – The theory of planned behavior (TPB) and intuitionist theory are integrated to reveal empirically how intuitive judgments may affect consumer attitudes and to provide new insights regarding ethical consumption.