Flexibility, Dissonance and the Conscious Consumer
This paper considers the ethical purchasing of what we describe as 'conscious consumers'. 'Conscious consumers' present a complex mix of behaviors; while seeking ethical alternatives, other social and economic forces impact on their behavior such that positive ethical choices are not always made. We identify two areas of theory relevant to the conceptualization of such consumers, flexibility and dissonance theory. A study of nine participants identified as 'conscious consumers' was undertaken. As anticipated the participants revealed a range of often contradictory behaviors regarding their ethical purchases. The relevance of flexibility and dissonance theory to their behavior is discussed.
Citation:
Isabelle Szmigin, Marylyn Carrigan, and Morven McEachern (2007) ,"Flexibility, Dissonance and the Conscious Consumer", in E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 8, eds. Stefania Borghini, Mary Ann McGrath, and Cele Otnes, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 379-380.
Authors
Isabelle Szmigin, University of Birmingham, UK
Marylyn Carrigan, University of Birmingham, UK
Morven McEachern, University of Lancaster, UK
Volume
E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 8 | 2007
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