A Study Protocol for Testing the Effectiveness of User-Generated Content in Reducing Excessive Consumption.

ABSTRACT: Excessive consumption is on the rise, as is apparent in growing financial debt and global greenhouse gas emissions. Voluntary simplicity, a lifestyle choice of reduced consumption and sustainable consumer behavior, provides a potential solution for excessive consumers. However, voluntary simplicity is unpopular, difficult to adopt, and under researched. The outlined research project will test a method of promoting voluntary simplicity via user-generated content, thus mimicking an existing social media trend (Minimalism) in an empirical research design. The project will test (a) whether the Minimalism trend could benefit consumers interested in reducing their consumption, and (b) whether self-transcendence (i.e., biospheric) and self-enhancement (i.e., egoistic and hedonic) values and goals

SUBMITTER: Herziger A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5465384 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature