Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the structural relationships between consumer ecological intelligence (EI) and sustainable consumption (SC). Specifically, this study focuses on analyzing the sub-dimensions of EI, which consist of ecological impact awareness (EIA), ecological sensitivity (ES), and ecologically conscious behavior (ECB). Through this analysis, the study aims to clarify how these sub-dimensions are structurally associated with responsibility for sustainable consumption (RSC), attachment to sustainable products (ASP), and sustainable consumption (SC) within an integrated conceptual framework.Research design, data, and methodology: A survey was conducted with adult consumers in Korea who had purchased sustainable products within the last six months. A total of 318 valid responses were used for analysis. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed to assess the reliability and validity of the measurement model. Based on the validated model, structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed hypotheses and examine the relationships among EIA, ES, ECB, RSC, ASP, and SC.Results: The results indicate that EIA has a positive effect on RSC. In addition, EIA, ES, and ECB were found to positively influence ASP. RSC also showed a positive effect on ASP. Furthermore, both RSC and ASP were found to facilitate SC.Implications: This study identifies the structural pathways linking EIA, ES, ECB, RSC, ASP, and SC, thereby clarifying the role of EI in the formation of SC. In particular, EIA was found to influence the formation of RSC, whereas all dimensions of EI were associated with the formation of ASP, indicating that EI does not operate in a uniform manner. In addition, ASP was found to be more strongly related to SC. The findings provide practical implications for sustainability-oriented marketing strategies and consumer education and may contribute to consumers’ sustainable consumption practices.
Meesung Kim (Sat,) studied this question.