Exploring the impact of empathy, compassion, and Machiavellianism on consumer ethics in an emerging market

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of positive personality traits (i.e., empathy and compassion) and negative personality traits (i.e., Machiavellianism) on consumer ethics in Indonesia. This is one of the first studies to explore this topic in relation to Indonesia, which is the fourth most populous country in the world. The paper-based survey was distributed to a large private university in Indonesia. Based on this convenience sample of 540 respondents, the results showed that cognitive empathy and compassion negatively impacted consumers’ perception toward various unethical behaviors, while desire for control and distrust of others positively influenced such behaviors. Based on earlier studies showing that the younger generation has less empathy than previous generations, the findings of the present study have important implications for creating a more empathetic and compassionate society.