Redefining Excellence: Exploring the Influence of Social Comparison on Green Product Evaluation

Abstract

In recent decades, green consumption has gained considerable attention among academic and business circles. While previous research has shown that green products combine environmental value and status symbols, the role of micro-social environments has been insufficiently examined in studies exploring the antecedents of green consumption. Social comparison, a central feature of human social life, has been overlooked. Therefore, this research conducted five empirical studies to investigate the impact of social comparison on green product evaluations. We find that upward and downward comparisons positively influence consumers' attitudes, purchase intentions, and actual choices of green products. Notably, feelings of self-threat mediate this effect in upward comparison situations, while authentic pride mediates this effect in downward comparison situations. Furthermore, the impact of social comparison on green product evaluations is moderated by consumers' self-monitoring. Specifically, this effect is strengthened for consumers with high self-monitoring and attenuated for those with low self-monitoring. These findings offer novel perspectives on green consumption and marketing implications for managers.