The Effect of Product Size and Form Distortion on Consumer Recycling Behavior

The present research examines conditions under which consumers dispose of recyclable products in the garbage. Results from a field study and four laboratory studies demonstrate that a consumer’s decision to recycle a product or throw it in the trash can be determined by the extent to which the produ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of consumer research 2013-12, Vol.40 (4), p.632-643
Main Authors: Trudel, Remi, Argo, Jennifer J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Confidence interval
Consumer behavior
Consumers
Consumption
Logistic regression
Paper cutting
Perceptual distortion
Ratios
Recyclable materials
Recycling
Scissors
Studies
Waste paper
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Summary:The present research examines conditions under which consumers dispose of recyclable products in the garbage. Results from a field study and four laboratory studies demonstrate that a consumer’s decision to recycle a product or throw it in the trash can be determined by the extent to which the product has been distorted during the consumption process. Specifically, if the consumption process distorts a product sufficiently from its original form (i.e., changes in size or form), consumers perceive it as less useful and in turn are more likely to throw it in the garbage (as opposed to recycle it). These findings point to important outcomes of the consumption process that have largely been ignored and provide initial insight into the psychological processes influencing recycling behavior.
ISSN:0093-5301
1537-5277
DOI:10.1086/671475