Pro-Environmental Commitment and Self-Efficacy in Shaping Intentions to Reduce Consumption: An Intergenerational Perspective

Abstract

Background

Previous research on the relationship between the age of consumers and their membership in a specific generational cohort and pro-environmental attitudes has not yielded definitive conclusions. These studies can be categorised into four groups: (1) indicating that young consumers, mainly Generation Z, are the most concerned about the environment, (2) suggesting the opposite - that older individuals, most often Generation X, demonstrate the highest environmental concern, (3) showing that age does not play a significant role in shaping environmental attitudes, and (4) studies with inconclusive results. These inconsistencies highlight a research gap concerning whether pro-environmental attitudes and intentions are genuinely generational or influenced by other factors.

Focus of the Article

Addressing this research gap, this study focuses on the pro-environmental commitment, pro-environmental self-efficacy, and pro-environmental intentions to reduce consumption among Generations X, Y, and Z.

Research Question

RQ1: How does the impact of pro-environmental commitment on the intention to reduce consumption vary across generations? RQ2: How does the impact of pro-environmental self-efficacy on the intention of reducing consumption differ between generations?.

Program Design/Approach

We designed and conducted research based on data collected through a survey and the use of the structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) method, a commonly recognised method in pro-environmental research.

Importance to the Social Marketing Field

We proved that pro-environmental commitment also affects pro-environmental self-efficacy, but intergenerational differences are not significant. Although pro-environmental commitment drives intention to reduce consumption more strongly in older generations, younger individuals rely more on their pro-environmental self-efficacy.

Methods

The data were gathered through an online survey, independently completed by respondents in Poland. Together, we collected properly completed responses from 258 members of Generation X, 218 of Generation Y, and 244 from Generation Z. This study examines generational differences in the intention to reduce consumption for environmental reasons using structural equation modelling (CB-SEM).

Results

The results confirm that the impact of commitment to the environment on the intention to reduce consumption for pro-environmental reasons is the strongest in Generation X, then weaken within the younger generations, finally being the lowest for Generation Z. Intention to reduce consumption is also shaped by pro-environmental self-efficacy, however, this relationship is the strongest for the youngest Generation Z, then the strength diminishes to the weakest for Generation X. While pro-environmental commitment drives intention to reduce consumption more strongly in older generations, younger individuals rely more on their pro-environmental self-efficacy.