Abstract
In recent years, there has been extensive attention on how to leverage social influence to promote green consumption and achieve environmental effects. Based on observation learning theory, this study examines how a coworker’s workplace green behavior incidentally influences an observer’s green purchase. The study includes one online experiment and one field survey with multiple time data. Results show that exposure to a frequently interacting coworker who exhibits green behavior in the workplace subsequently has an incidental effect on the observer’s green purchase. Concern for the environmental action mediates the above incidental effect, and the mediating effect of concern for the environmental action is moderated by the perceived status of the coworker who conducts green behavior in the workplace. These findings identify the important social influence of coworkers’ green behavior and provide theoretical benefits for encouraging green behavior in the workplace.
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Data availability
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the author (yaofeisicem@nuaa.edu.cn) on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by <Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities> under Grant [number 90YAH22008, 56XAB22016].
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Yao, F. The power of coworkers: the incidental effect of workplace green behavior on green consumption. Curr Psychol 43, 5921–5932 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04774-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04774-z