The Role of Perceived Consumer Effectiveness in Motivating Environmentally Conscious Behaviors

TLDR

Perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE) has been linked to socially conscious attitudes, yet prior studies have conflated it with related constructs and examined its behavioral impact only in aggregate. This study shows that PCE uniquely predicts certain pro‑ecological behaviors, varies with demographics and political affiliation, and that enhancing consumers’ belief in the impact of individual actions can motivate environmentally conscious behavior.

Abstract

While perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE) has consistently been linked to socially conscious attitudes, the concept appears to have been confounded with other related constructs in the empirical studies measuring its effects on behavior. In addition, the few studies which have considered the effects of PCE on reported behavior have done so only in aggregate. This research demonstrates that PCE is distinct from environmental concern and contributes uniquely to the prediction of certain pro-ecological behaviors. In addition, differences in PCE are shown to be associated with differences in demographics and political affiliation. The results suggest that motivating consumers to express their concern through actual behavior is to some extent a function of increasing their perception that individual actions do make a difference.