The Green Value Compass: Mapping the Value Dimensions of Sustainable Consumer Behavior
摘要
What values drive sustainable consumer behavior? And how do these values interact to influence decision-making? This study constructs a multidimensional value system that reveals the motivational architecture behind sustainable consumption. Drawing from established theoretical frameworks (Schwartz’s Value System, Holbrook’s Typology, Self-Determination Theory, SHIFT framework, and Means-End Chain), the research follows a three-phase methodology: 1) extracting value-related items from the corporate sustainability reports of 50 leading companies, evaluated by experts and a large-scale citizen panel; 2) applying principal component analysis and item reduction to uncover factors and dimensions; and 3) conducting hierarchical cluster analysis to explore patterns within each dimension. The analysis yields seven distinct value dimensions, which cluster into two overarching orientations: Transformation Self (Innovation & Personal Growth, Moral Integrity, Balanced Vitality) and Responsible Engagement (Shared Responsibility for the Future, Act for the Environment, Inclusive Justice, Sustainable Transformation). These findings highlight tensions between cognitively central but behaviorally latent values, shedding light on the attitude-behavior gap in sustainability. Rather than a single, universal motivator, sustainable behavior emerges from diverse, identity-linked value profiles, each offering a different pathway to engagement. The model opens new directions for profiling consumers and designing interventions aligned with their motivational logic.