The logic of inconsistency: moral licensing as a consumer cognitive strategy
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Abstract
Given the growing popularity of organic products, it is vital to understand what motivates people to choose them. This study presents a model that seeks to clarify how an individual's personal ethical code and previous habits interact with their internal justification for allowing themselves a reward, which ultimately shapes their purchasing decision. To achieve this, numerical research was conducted to collect data through surveys distributed via a network of contacts. Subsequently, advanced statistical analysis was applied to examine the connections between psychological variables. The main results indicate that a sense of personal duty is the most decisive factor in purchasing. However, the most striking finding is that the feeling of having accumulated “credit” for past actions does not encourage consistency but, on the contrary, intensifies the individual's internal debate, complicating their final choice. This work offers valuable information for those involved in commercial strategy, brand communication, and the design of public policies aimed at encouraging more conscious consumption.
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Diana Dashira Sánchez-Armijos, Universidad Técnica de Machala - Ecuador
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1199-8847
Graduate in Marketing
Yaritza Zoila Suriaga-Ramon, Universidad Técnica de Machala - Ecuador
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0604-356X
Graduate in Marketing
Universidad Técnica de Machala - Ecuador, Technical University of Machala
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0604-356X
Full Professor, Faculty of Business Sciences, Technical University of Machala.
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