Impact of ambivalent attitudes on green purchase intentions: The role of negative moods

Abstract While negative moods (e.g., anxiety and depression) deriving from environmental problems have become a common public concern, little is known about how consumers’ negative mood states affect their green purchase intentions, especially when consumers hold ambivalent attitudes toward buying green products. This paper addresses these issues through four studies of Chinese consumers. Our findings demonstrate that highly ambivalent attitudes toward green products decrease green purchase intentions (Study 1). This negative effect is weakened when consumers are in a more (as opposed to less) anxious mood (Studies 2 and 3) but strengthened when consumers are in a more (as opposed to less) depressed mood (Study 4). Both effects are more prominent among low‐ambivalence consumers than high‐ambivalence consumers. This research shows that not all negative mood states have the same influence on consumers’ green purchase decision making.