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Exploring consumer behavioral predispositions toward voluntary simplicity

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Abstract

A lifestyle of voluntary simplicity, a type of consumer ethical behavior, is drawing increasing media attention. Consumers practicing voluntary simplicity tend to reduce material consumption in order to free up resources, primarily money and time, and to seek life satisfaction, fulfillment, happiness, and personal growth. The practice of voluntary simplicity is also relevant to resource conservation, ecological impact, and social responsibility. Understanding consumer motivations for adopting voluntary simplicity is thus a vital issue. This study examines the impact of human values and consideration of future consequences on voluntary simplifiers’ behavioral predispositions. Our findings show that individuals with self-enhancement values and openness-to-change values are less likely to engage in voluntary simplicity. Those with self-transcendence values and consideration of future consequences are more likely to be voluntary simplifiers. This study also finds that older people or those with a bachelor’s degree have a higher tendency to practice a simple living lifestyle. Finally, implications for researchers and marketing managers are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, R.O.C., for financially supporting this research under Grant No. MOST 104-2410-H-035-049. The author highly appreciates the reviewers’ constructive suggestion.

Funding

This study was funded by The Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, R.O.C. (grant number MOST 104–2410-H-035-049).

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  1. Department of Business Administration, Feng Chia University, 100, Wenhwa Road, Seatwen, Taichung, 40724, Taiwan

    Hsiu-Hua Chang

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The author has received research grants from The Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, R.O.C. (grant number MOST 104–2410-H-035-049).

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Chang, HH. Exploring consumer behavioral predispositions toward voluntary simplicity. Curr Psychol 40, 731–743 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9994-4

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