Factors Affecting Ethical Consumption: Applying Extended Planned Behavior Theory and Motivation Theory

확장된 계획된 행위이론과 동기이론에 기한 소비자의 윤리적 소비행위에 미치는 영향요인 분석 연구

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to grasp the concept of ethical consumption that is inevitably one of the behaviors of consumption and to find factors affecting ethical consumption. The most special idea of this study is including motive in the research model. And motive will influence the factors affecting the intention to behave. Research design, data, and methodology: Considering variables affecting ethical consumption, we first adopted the Ttheory of Planned Behavior. There are three variables of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control in the model. In addition to variables used in the Planned Behavior Theory, ethical duty, self-identity, motive, neutralization, ambivalence are included in the study. Questionnaires are made for survey, and investigation was conducted from 1th March to 11th of March. Total 360 copies are used for analysis. SPSS version 23 was used for analysis. Results: Study results show that first, the variables of attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, ethical duty, self-identity are turned to be statistically significant factors affecting ethical consumption intention. In this study, we defined the ethical consumption as voluntary, self-sacrifice needed, and additional efforts required behavior, therefore motive thought to be needed at fist for individual consumer to form intention. For neutralization and ambivalence, neutralization does not affect ethical consumption directly or indirectly, but we found ambivalence has moderating effect while motive affecting attitude, perceived behavior control, self-identity and has moderating effect while attitude, subjective nom, perceived behavior control, self-identity affects intention. Ambivalence means individual consumer’s thought or preoccupation toward ethical consumption, in other words, consumer may have fiendly or unfriendly, positive or negative impression to it. Overall, motive and ambivalence are important factors for ethical consumption. Motive plays some role from the start influencing main factors affecting ethical consumption. Ambivalence also functions by moderating variables. Thinking of ambivalence taking account of essence of ethical consumption, some consumers may have pretext or justification for not doing ethical consumption which may again annoy themselves. Conclusions: In conclusion, for intention to ethical consumption to be formed motive should be activated beforehand and ambivalence should be considered. Negative ambivalence toward ethical consumption should be removed and positive ambivalence should be developed.