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The Effect of Negative Message Framing on Green Consumption: An Investigation of the Role of Shame

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Abstract

Despite society’s increasing sensitivity toward green production, companies often struggle to find effective communication strategies that induce consumers to buy green products or engage in other environmentally friendly behaviors. To add clarity to this situation, we investigated the effectiveness of negative versus positive message framing in promoting green products, whereby companies highlight the detrimental versus beneficial environmental consequences of choosing less versus more green options, respectively. Across four experiments, we show that negatively framed messages are more effective than positively framed ones in prompting consumers to engage in pro-environmental behaviors. More importantly, we find that anticipated shame is the emotion responsible for this effect. Furthermore, both environmental concern and the type of product promoted serve as moderators; thus, the mediating role of anticipated shame is attenuated when environmental concern is low and the product is a luxury one. Finally, we discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of our work, along with its limitations and some directions for future research.

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Author notes

    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Ionian Department of Law, Economics and Environment, University of Bari, Via Duomo, 259, 74123, Taranto, Italy

      Cesare Amatulli

    2. Department of Business Management, LUISS University, Viale Romania, 32, 00197, Rome, Italy

      Matteo De Angelis

    3. Department of Management and Economics, University of Salento, Ecotekne Campus, Via per Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy

      Alessandro M. Peluso & Gianluigi Guido

    4. Department of Marketing, SKEMA Business School, 60 rue Dostoïevski, 06902, Sophia Antipolis, France

      Isabella Soscia

    Authors
    1. Cesare Amatulli
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    2. Matteo De Angelis
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    3. Alessandro M. Peluso
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    4. Isabella Soscia
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    5. Gianluigi Guido
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    Corresponding author

    Correspondence to Cesare Amatulli.

    Ethics declarations

    Conflicts of interest

    The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

    Human and Animal Rights

    All procedures performed in the studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee, as well as with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

    Additional information

    The first three authors are listed in alphabetical order and contributed equally to the article.

    Appendices

    Appendix 1: Study 1

    Framing Valence Manipulation

    Illustrative Screenshots of the Video

    Illustrative screenshot of the video showed to female respondents

    Illustrative screenshot of the video showed to male respondents

    Transcripts from the video

    Presentation in common among the three conditions

    According to you, do the traditional batteries that we use for remotes, alarm clocks, cordless phones, etc., pollute the environment when we waste them?

    A battery contains about one gram of mercury, more than enough to pollute 1000 L of water!

    In stores you can generally find two versions of batteries:

    These ones, which cannot be recharged, thus becoming an environmental risk factor; these batteries are not sustainable from an environmental point of view, so they are polluting.

    And these ones, which, in contrast, are rechargeable, produced with materials that do not pollute even if wasted in the environment; these batteries guarantee the same performance as the others, but cost 20% more; certainly, however, they do not pollute the environment.

    		 

    Concluding instruction used in the negative framing condition

    So, if you choose to buy the first version of batteries, that is, the ones that are polluting, instead of the second version, you will deeply contribute to the destruction of the environment and to the bad living conditions of future generations.

    		 

    Concluding instruction used in the positive framing condition

    So if you choose to buy the second version of batteries, that is, the ones that are not polluting, instead of the first version, you will help the environment and concretely contribute to the well-being of future generations.

    		 

    Concluding instruction used in the neutral framing condition

    (No information was given in this condition about the consequences for the environment.)

    		 

    Appendix 2: Study 2

    Framing Valence Manipulation

    Part of the narrative scenario in common among the three conditions

    Suppose you need a T-shirt and you are planning to purchase one.

    You enter a store and see one model of T-shirt that you particularly like and you are seriously considering to buy. Nevertheless, while you keep walking in the store, you notice another T-shirt, manufactured by the same company and similar to the previous one except for the fact that it carries a certification to be made 100% with organic cotton. Therefore, the second T-shirt is objectively more environmentally friendly than the first one. However, such a second T-shirt costs 20% more than the former one.

    		 

    Concluding instruction used in the negative framing condition

    If you decide to buy the first T-shirt (the less environmentally friendly one) instead of the second you saw, you actively contribute to the collapse of the environment.

    		 

    Concluding instruction used in the positive framing condition

    If you decide to buy the second T-shirt (the more environmentally friendly one) instead of the first you saw, you certainly contribute to the improvement of the environment.

    		 

    Concluding instruction used in the neutral framing condition

    (No information was given in this condition about the consequences for the environment.)

    		 

    Appendix 3: Study 3

    Situational Environmental Concern Manipulation

    Initial priming instruction used in the environmental concern salient condition

    Congratulations, your mere participation to this research allows you to give a real contribution to advancing knowledge about the improvement in the environment.

    		 

    Initial priming instruction used in the environmental concern non-salient condition

    Participating to this questionnaire you have already made an important step in improving your cognitive and memory skills.

    		 

    Framing Valence Manipulation

    The same as in Study 2 (without the neutral condition).

    Appendix 4: Study 4

    Type of Product × Framing Valence Manipulation

    Narrative scenario used in the luxury product and negative framing condition

    Suppose you are planning to purchase a special luxury jacket that you plan to wear for special occasions, such as ceremonies or important social events where it is important for you to look cool in the eyes of others.

    You enter a store and see one model of luxury jacket that you particularly like and you are seriously considering to buy. Nevertheless, while you keep walking in the store, you notice another luxury jacket, manufactured by the same prestigious Italian luxury brand and similar to the previous one except for the fact that it carries a certification to be made 100% with organic fabrics. Therefore, the second luxury jacket is objectively more environmentally friendly than the first one. However, such a second luxury jacket costs 20% more than the former one.

    If you decide to buy the first luxury jacket (the less environmentally friendly one) instead of the second you saw, you certainly contribute to the collapse of the environment.

    		 

    Narrative scenario used in the luxury product and positive framing condition

    Suppose you are planning to purchase a special luxury jacket that you plan to wear for special occasions, such as ceremonies or important social events where it is important for you to look cool in the eyes of others.

    You enter a store and see one model of luxury jacket that you particularly like and you are seriously considering to buy. Nevertheless, while you keep walking in the store, you notice another luxury jacket, manufactured by the same prestigious Italian luxury brand and similar to the previous one except for the fact that it carries a certification to be made 100% with organic fabrics. Therefore, the second luxury jacket is objectively more environmentally friendly than the first one. However, such a second luxury jacket costs 20% more than the former one.

    If you decide to buy the second luxury jacket (the more environmentally friendly one) instead of the first you saw, you certainly contribute to the improvement of the environment.

    		 

    Narrative scenario used in the non-luxury product and negative framing condition

    Suppose you are planning to purchase an ordinary jacket that you plan to wear only for daily life, non-special activities, such as going to the grocery store or just staying at home with your family or close friends.

    You enter a store and see one model of ordinary jacket that you particularly like and you are seriously considering to buy. Nevertheless, while you keep walking in the store, you notice another jacket, manufactured by the same company and similar to the previous one except for the fact that it carries a certification to be made 100% with organic fabrics. Therefore, the second jacket is objectively more environmentally friendly than the first one. However, such a second jacket costs 20% more than the former one.

    If you decide to buy the first jacket (the less environmentally friendly one) instead of the second you saw, you certainly contribute to the collapse of the environment.

    		 

    Narrative scenario used in the non-luxury product and positive framing condition

    Suppose you are planning to purchase an ordinary jacket that you plan to wear only for daily life, non-special activities, such as going to the grocery store or just staying at home with your family or close friends.

    You enter a store and see one model of ordinary jacket that you particularly like and you are seriously considering to buy. Nevertheless, while you keep walking in the store, you notice another jacket, manufactured by the same company and similar to the previous one except for the fact that it carries a certification to be made 100% with organic fabrics. Therefore, the second jacket is objectively more environmentally friendly than the first one. However, such a second jacket costs 20% more than the former one.

    If you decide to buy the second jacket (the more environmentally friendly one) instead of the first you saw, you certainly contribute to the improvement of the environment.

    		 

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    Amatulli, C., De Angelis, M., Peluso, A.M. et al. The Effect of Negative Message Framing on Green Consumption: An Investigation of the Role of Shame. J Bus Ethics 157, 1111–1132 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3644-x

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3644-x

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