By-and-Buy:The Effect of Social Influence on Discounting of Environmental Outcomes

Climate change is characterized by delayed consequences, which cause people to discount future environmental outcomes and to perceive that their consumption behaviors have no effect. This study measured participants' willingness to purchase a sustainable clothing item given information that the environmental tipping point would be reached in six months, 1, 5, 10, 30, 80, or 120 years. In one condition, participants were told that either 15 percent, 50 percent, or 85 percent of others would also purchase sustainable clothing. In another, the purchase was either recommended by a close other, an acquaintance, or no recommendation was given. The consequences of participants' actions were framed as either a gain or a loss. The 205 participants discounted more when told that a small percentage of others acted similarly. There was no effect on type of social tie or gain-loss framing. These findings suggest that informing people that few others are acting pro-environmentally could be detrimental when policy makers and marketers seek to promote sustainable consumption.