Promoting sustainable development: A research on residents' green purchasing behavior from a perspective of the goal‐framing theory

Abstract This research proposed a model based on the goal‐framing theory in an attempt to understand the effect of residents' egoistic and altruistic appeals on green purchasing behavior, with the hope to promote green purchasing behavior and close the green motivation‐behavior gap. A total of 504 usable samples were collected in China, and confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were conducted. The results showed that media persuasion can affect residents' green purchasing behavior through simultaneously activating three‐dimensional goal frames. The mediation effect of normative goal frames was significantly greater than that of gain goal frames and hedonic goal frames. Moreover, perceived seriousness of environmental problems positively moderated the mediation effect of gain goal frames, while negatively moderated the mediation effect of hedonic goal frames, but it did not moderate the mediation effect of normative goal frames. Interesting findings suggest that media persuasion may have a persistent effect on green purchasing behavior by promoting the three types of motives that give consideration to the dual appeals together. Finally, this study provided important theoretical and practical implications for academic researchers and green practitioners.