Pleasure or Principle? The Normative Mechanisms Linking Hedonic and Eudaimonic Orientations to Green Purchase Intention

Despite increased interest in sustainable consumption, the fundamental psychological factors affecting individuals’ intentions to purchase green products have not yet been fully elucidated within an integrated framework. This study addresses this gap and examines the impact of hedonic and eudaimonic orientations on green purchase intention within the framework of Norm Activation Theory (NAT). Analysis of data from 346 participants revealed that personal norms are the strongest predictor of green purchase intention, with awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility also having significant positive effects. The results also indicate that eudaimonic orientation enhances awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility, and personal norms, while the indirect effect of eudaimonic orientation on green purchase intention via personal norms is not significant. On the other hand, while hedonic orientation increases environmental awareness, it weakens personal norms, leading to a negative indirect effect on green purchase intention. Overall, the results suggest that hedonic and eudaimonic orientations influence green purchase intention mainly through cognitive considerations and moral obligations, rather than directly. This study contributes to the green consumption literature theoretically by integrating hedonic and eudaimonic orientations into the NAT model and provides strategic implications for sustainability communication and consumer segmentation.