The Role of Moral Emotions and Individual Differences in Consumer Responses to Corporate Pro-Environmental Behavior: The Climate Change Challenge

The present study has two aims. Firstly, we addressed the general research question 1) how do perceptions of positive actions of corporations toward environmental climate change (PPACTECC) influence consumers’ positive responses and 2) when (i.e., under what conditions) do PPACTECC do this. A mediation model is directed to understand what roles are played by positive moral emotions (gratitude, awe and elevation) and attitudes in decision-making, and how they influence the behavior of customers in line with their perceptions of company’s pro-environmental behaviors (PEB). Secondly, a moderation model addresses under what conditions such moderators as moral identity, affective empathy, cognitive empathy, relationalism, collectivism and individualism regulate the effects of emotions and attitudes on action tendencies of consumers to support the company (e.g., positive word of mouth, intentions to purchase products from the company, and other support actions). We manipulated two scenarios, a first one describing a company neutral behavior, and a second one depicting the same company that adopted a PEB. We found that awe and elevation and attitudes mediated the effect of positive actions of corporations toward environmental climate change on purchase intention, positive WOM and positive actions towards the corporation. Results showed that collectivism moderated the degree of purchase intention when awe and elevation are the mediators. Further, we found that relationalism, collectivism, moral identity, affective empathy and cognitive empathy moderated the degree of positive WOM when awe and elevation are the mediators.