The attitude-behavior gap with sustainable workplace attire : How people justify their attitude-opposing behavior?

Abstract

The textiles industry is one of the biggest polluters in the world, and clothing and fashion represent over half of the textiles sector. While prior studies have found barriers as one of the main affecting factors on the attitude-behavior gap phenomenon with clothing and fashion, there are countering findings on the topics, such as increased willingness to pay over the barrier of price. This study addressed a research gap connected to the attitude-behavior gap phenomenon through purchase and consumption of sustainable clothing and fashion. The main research objective was to deepen our understanding surrounding the attitude-behavior gap, by moving further from the barriers. The aim was explored through a novel view by exploring the justification for attitude-opposing behavior. The two different attitude-behavior gap streams were defined by methodological choices. First in using of self-reports and surveys, second with behavioral modeling. This allowed an underlying assumption of a larger societal favorable attitude toward sustainable behavior while maintaining focus on behavior. The modeling approach of the attitude-behavior gap is drawn from the theory of planned behavior and the attitudes are taken as the guiding principle toward behavior. The justifications of attitude-opposing behavior were approached through moral-self regulation theories, firstly by moral disengagement mechanisms as a priority focus, supported by moral licensing, and taking moral cleansing as an exclusion mechanism. The use of critical realism as a research philosophy, was included as a referencing and guiding principle to studying the complex topic of the attitude-behavior gap phenomenon. Positioning the theories on the three stratified layers of reality create direction in observing the empirical data deductively through existing theories. An emphasis was put on data collection of observable events and justification for attitude-opposing behavior. This emphasis was positioned to increase and deepen the understanding of causalities and structures of the attitude-behavior gap phenomenon. The primary data was collected through in-depth interviews. The data collection was approached through unstructured interviews with a theme-focused guiding principle. To keep the data collection under the specific interest in this study, a semi-structured part was included in each interview. This allowed addressing the justification people express for not behaving as their attitudes would guide. A total of 13 individuals were interviewed during 10 interview times, of which one was a group interview of three respondents, and one a pair interview. The scope of the study was limited to real estate agents operating mainly in the Tampere region in Finland. The study utilized a qualitative content analysis approach. The content analysis code and categorization process were created by the researcher. The findings show how people justify their attitude-opposing behavior. The only commonly shared mechanism in this research was the moral justification. This study found noteworthy references to three new mechanisms named as the shifting the responsibility, inexistent value, and secondary prioritization. The first is about shifting the responsibility to the business, brand, or label through trust, assumption, and expectation that when the consumer pays a premium, the brand will carry out the sustainability-focused responsibilities. Inexistant value focuses on justification of not perceiving value in the use of sustainable clothing and fashion, and secondary prioritization is about knowingly moving sustainability to a secondary value position. Majority of the appearing justifications position on behavior and individual agency in exercising moral agency. Few references were found to position the outcome, as the harm caused, with no reference toward disengagement by victim-focused mechanisms. The study brought value to both the theory and practice. The central findings show the justifications for attitude-opposing behavior are dynamic and appear mainly through behavior and agency. The study provides academic contribution in improving the knowledge of the attitude-behavior gap, by creating a replicable research approach utilizing critical realism research philosophy, and by providing indication of new types of moral disengagement mechanisms. Managerial contribution addresses the usability of disengagement mechanisms in marketing and communication and discussion on the topic of pricing the sustainable clothing and fashion.´