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Updated: Jan 16, 2026
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The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
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How Downward Comparisons Impact Pro-Environmental Consumption: Mediating Roles of Self-Evaluations and Self-Awareness
Yiwen Wang1,2, Geying Liang1,2, Jianwei Lin3
1School of Economics and Management, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China.
Summary
Downward comparisons boost pro-environmental consumption. Both temporal and social comparisons positively influence preferences and willingness to pay for eco-friendly products, driven by self-perceptions and awareness.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Psychology
- Consumer Behavior
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Downward social comparisons often enhance prosocial behavior.
- Limited research exists on the impact of downward comparisons on pro-environmental consumption.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for promoting sustainable consumer choices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of downward temporal and social comparisons on pro-environmental consumption in China.
- To explore the underlying psychological mechanisms driving these effects.
- To provide insights for developing effective strategies to encourage sustainable consumption.
Main Methods:
- Two online experiments were conducted in China.
- Study 1 examined downward temporal comparison effects.
- Study 2 investigated downward social comparison effects.
Main Results:
- Downward temporal comparison positively impacted preferences for pro-environmental products.
- Downward social comparison increased both preferences and willingness to pay for eco-friendly products.
- Self-evaluations, private self-awareness, and public self-awareness mediated these effects.
Conclusions:
- Downward temporal and social comparisons significantly promote pro-environmental consumption in the Chinese cultural context.
- The findings link downward comparisons to pro-environmental behavior via self-image and product-image congruity.
- Implications exist for designing targeted interventions to incentivize sustainable consumer behavior.
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