Looking into the Gap: The Mediating Role of Perceived Control and Intrinsic Norms Between Concern for the Future and Responsible Consumption Intentions

In the pursuit of socially and environmentally conscious consumer behavior, the core challenge lies not just in identifying motivations, but in explaining how core values, intrinsic norms, and attitudes translate into actual intentions. This dynamic is particularly pronounced in Latin America, where socioeconomic constraints and weak regulations on responsible products actively challenge a consumer’s sense of moral obligation and perceived behavioral control. To decode this complexity, this paper applies Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to a sample of 643 consumers in Argentina, examining how environmental and social concerns intersect with intrinsic norms and perceived control to shape responsible purchasing intentions. Empirical findings reveal that environmental and social concerns do not directly drive purchasing intentions, rather, their influence operates through a competitive mediation pattern powered by intrinsic norms and perceived control. This demonstrates that concerns remain latent unless activated by personal agency and internalized moral obligations to guide sustainable choices. This research bridges the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory, offering vital theoretical insights into how altruistic values, moral norms, and cognitive control efforts intersect in consumer decision-making. By highlighting these critical mediating pathways, this study provides a deeper look into consumer psychology, capturing the sophisticated sensemaking and adaptive agency consumers deploy when navigating adverse market conditions.