In Pursuit of Happiness: Disentangling Sustainable Consumption, Consumer Alienation, and Social Desirability



Cheron, E, Sudbury-Riley, L ORCID: 0000-0001-5097-3407 and Kohlbacher, F
(2022) In Pursuit of Happiness: Disentangling Sustainable Consumption, Consumer Alienation, and Social Desirability. JOURNAL OF CONSUMER POLICY, 45 (2). pp. 149-173.

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Abstract

This study makes a novel attempt to disentangle the complex relationships between making sustainable purchasing choices and happiness, while also considering the key issues of social desirability and consumer alienation. Analysis of data collected via a survey administered to a representative sample (n = 835) of Japanese consumers suggests that making sustainable purchases does indeed have a positive impact on life satisfaction, or happiness. At the same time, high levels of need for social approval also positively impacts sustainable consumption and happiness. Feeling alienated from the marketplace, however, has a detrimental impact on happiness. These results suggest a more complex picture than is usually portrayed in studies of ethical consumption and life satisfaction, extend our understanding of an intricate set of relationships, and provide insight for policy makers and managers into the ways in which happiness can be encouraged via making sustainable consumption choices and having a more positive perception of business and social norms.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Sustainable consumption, Life satisfaction, Happiness, Consumer well-being, Consumer alienation, Social desirability
Divisions: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of Management
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 02 Sep 2021 08:26
Last Modified: 18 Jan 2023 21:30
DOI: 10.1007/s10603-021-09498-w
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3135552