How environmental gain messages affect cause involvement, attitude and behavioural intentions: the moderating effects of CSR scepticism and biospheric values
Corporate Communications: An International Journal
ISSN: 1356-3289
Article publication date: 27 May 2022
Issue publication date: 20 September 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the direct effect of outcome message frames (gain vs loss) on cause involvement and the moderating roles of consumers' corporate social responsibility (CSR) scepticism and biospheric values. Furthermore, the authors analyse (1) the effects of gain-framed messages on consumer attitudes towards an environmental cause (i.e. the use of reusable coffee cups) and towards the company promoting the cause (a coffee shop chain); (2) how consumer attitudes towards the cause affect their attitudes towards the company; and (3) how consumer attitudes towards both the cause and the company affect their behavioural intentions towards both the cause and the company.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a 2 × 1 scenario-based, experimental design with a gain vs loss stimuli, Study 1 (n = 466) examines the moderating effects of CSR scepticism and biospheric values on the relationship between message framing and consumer cause involvement. Using gain-framed stimuli, Study 2 (n = 958) analyses the effects of cause involvement variations on attitudes and behaviours, through structural equation modelling.
Findings
Gain-framed messages are more effective than loss-framed messages at increasing cause involvement in consumers. Both CSR scepticism and biospheric values moderate the relationship between gain-framed messages and cause involvement. Cause involvement enhances consumer attitudes towards both the cause and the company promoting it, while company attitudes towards a cause positively influence consumers' behavioural intentions.
Originality/value
This study recommends that environmental CSR advertising managers should use gain-framed messages to positively influence consumer cause involvement.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work is partially financed by Portuguese Funds provided by FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal) through project UIDB/04020/2020.
Citation
Stadlthanner, K.A., Andreu, L., Font, X., Ribeiro, M.A. and Currás-Pérez, R. (2022), "How environmental gain messages affect cause involvement, attitude and behavioural intentions: the moderating effects of CSR scepticism and biospheric values", Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 27 No. 4, pp. 781-799. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-11-2021-0125
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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