In a sustainable mindset: The impact of construal level on the relationship between lateral placement and sustainable choice
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2019-06-13
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en
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This study aims to replicate recent findings of Romero & Biswas (2016), which demonstrated that laterally displaying food items congruent with a natural mental representation can nudge consumers towards healthier choices, and apply it to sustainable consumption in mass customization configurators. On top of this, it was suggested that a congruent lateral placement of more sustainable options is not fixed but depends on the construal level consumers adopt. Specifically, it was argued that when consumers adopt a high construal level a right placement would be congruent and enhance choice. Whereas the opposite would be true when a low-level construal was adopted.
225 students participated in a 2x2 between-subjects online experimental design where construal level (high vs. low) and lateral placement of sustainable customization options (left vs. right) were manipulated. Sustainable choice, operationalized as the sum of sustainable customization options chosen, acted as the dependent variable. The results revealed no support for a significant influence of construal level on the relationship between lateral placement and sustainable choice. However, the results do seem to suggest that consumers can be nudged towards more sustainable choices in configurators by placing these options to the left vs. the right of less sustainable options.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen