Stereotypes, same-sex struggles, and sustainable shopping: intrasexual competition mediates sex differences in green consumption values

IF 2.4 4区 管理学 Q3 MANAGEMENT Baltic Journal of Management Pub Date : 2023-06-29 DOI:10.1108/bjm-10-2022-0379
T. Otterbring
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引用次数: 1

Abstract

PurposeThe present study aimed to investigate whether male consumers report weaker green consumption values than their female counterparts, and whether such a presumed sex difference, at least in part, can be explained by different levels of intrasexual competition. In other words, the study tested the notion that intrasexual competition acts as a psychological mechanism explaining why male (vs female) consumers are sometimes less prone to prefer and purchase sustainable goods, with their higher tendency to compete with same-sex rivals making them less likely to engage in green consumption.Design/methodology/approachThe study was based on a large cross-sectional survey, in which a final sample of 1,382 participants (823 female and 559 male) provided complete responses on well-validated scales measuring intrasexual competition and green consumption values. The large sample size implies that even small effect sizes could be detected with high statistical power. The data were analyzed using a series of Mann–Whitney U tests to compare the responses made by male and female participants. Subsequently, multiple linear regressions as well as regression-based mediation and moderation analyses were performed with control variables added to show robustness of the results, test the proposed chain of events, and demonstrate generalizability.FindingsMale (vs female) participants expressed significantly higher levels of intrasexual competition both generally and on the two subdimensions corresponding to superiority striving and inferiority irritation. Further, they were slightly less inclined to express green consumption values. Importantly, the sex difference in green consumption values was mediated by inferiority irritation as well as the entire intrasexual competition scale but not by superiority striving. Thus, men's inferiority irritation, in particular, and their more pronounced propensity to compete with same-sex rivals, in general, drove them away from green consumption, whereas women's weaker willingness to compete with same-sex rivals instead increased their inclination of “going green.”Originality/valueDrawing on findings from the domains of competitiveness and gender stereotypes, the current research demonstrates a novel mechanism through which green consumption responses can be understood. Specifically, this study provides empirical evidence for the mediating role of intrasexual competition, especially regarding the more negatively charged subdimension of inferiority irritation, in explaining why male and female consumers may differ in terms of their green consumption values. The present research also contributes to the literature by questioning the unidimensional structure of the intrasexual competition scale and showing that the negative (vs positive) subdimension of this scale is more influential in explaining sex-differentiated patterns in consumers' green consumption values, thereby supporting the notion that “bad is stronger than good.”
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刻板印象、同性斗争和可持续购物:性内竞争调解绿色消费价值观的性别差异
目的本研究旨在调查男性消费者是否比女性消费者报告的绿色消费价值观较弱,以及这种假定的性别差异是否可以至少部分解释为不同程度的性内竞争。换言之,这项研究检验了一种观点,即性内竞争是一种心理机制,可以解释为什么男性(与女性)消费者有时不太倾向于选择和购买可持续商品,而他们更倾向于与同性竞争对手竞争,这使他们不太可能参与绿色消费。设计/方法/方法该研究基于一项大规模的横断面调查,其中1382名参与者(823名女性和559名男性)的最终样本在经过验证的衡量性内竞争和绿色消费价值的量表上提供了完整的回答。大的样本量意味着即使是小的效应量也可以用高的统计能力来检测。使用一系列Mann-Whitney U测试对数据进行分析,以比较男性和女性参与者的反应。随后,进行了多重线性回归以及基于回归的中介和调节分析,并添加了控制变量,以显示结果的稳健性,测试所提出的事件链,并证明其可推广性。研究结果男性(与女性相比)参与者在总体上以及在与争强好胜和自卑刺激相对应的两个子维度上表现出明显更高的性内竞争水平。此外,他们不太倾向于表达绿色消费价值观。重要的是,绿色消费价值观的性别差异是由自卑刺激和整个性内竞争量表介导的,而不是由追求优越感介导的。因此,尤其是男性的自卑感,以及他们与同性竞争对手更明显的竞争倾向,使他们远离了绿色消费,而女性与同性竞争的意愿较弱,反而增加了他们“走向绿色”的倾向,目前的研究证明了一种新的机制,通过它可以理解绿色消费的反应。具体而言,这项研究为性内竞争的中介作用提供了经验证据,特别是关于自卑刺激这一更负电荷的子维度,解释了为什么男性和女性消费者在绿色消费价值观方面可能存在差异。本研究还通过质疑性内竞争量表的一维结构对文献做出了贡献,并表明该量表的负(与正)亚维度在解释消费者绿色消费价值观中的性别差异模式方面更具影响力,从而支持“坏比好强”的观点
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来源期刊
CiteScore
5.40
自引率
9.70%
发文量
38
期刊介绍: The Baltic region has experienced rapid political and economic change over recent years. The challenges to managers and management researchers operating within the area are often different to those experienced in other parts of the world. The Baltic Journal of Management contributes to an understanding of different management cultures and provides readers with a fresh look at emerging management practices and research in the countries of the Baltic region and beyond.
期刊最新文献
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