Sustainable Consumption Patterns and the Malleability of Consumer Preferences
Author(s)
Chai, Andreas
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2019
Metadata
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A predominant view in ecological economics is that current levels and paths of consumption are unsustainable and should be corrected accordingly. This position often builds upon the background assump-tion that consumer preferences are not exogenously “given” but rather endogenously influenced by socioeconomic and institutional factors (Røpke 1999, 2009; O’Hara & Stagl 2002). Hence, it may be necessary to promote sustainability by – among other things – influencing people’s current preferences, ideally towards “less material consumption-oriented forms of satisfaction” (Norton, Costanza, & Bishop 1998) or “nonrival goods” (Wagner ...
View more >A predominant view in ecological economics is that current levels and paths of consumption are unsustainable and should be corrected accordingly. This position often builds upon the background assump-tion that consumer preferences are not exogenously “given” but rather endogenously influenced by socioeconomic and institutional factors (Røpke 1999, 2009; O’Hara & Stagl 2002). Hence, it may be necessary to promote sustainability by – among other things – influencing people’s current preferences, ideally towards “less material consumption-oriented forms of satisfaction” (Norton, Costanza, & Bishop 1998) or “nonrival goods” (Wagner 2006). Information campaigns, advertisements, “nudges” (Thaler & Sunstein 2008) or some functionally equivalent device may be needed in order to overcome such locked-in consumption patterns. Influencing the demand side of the economy in this way may be a particularly powerful tool to promote sustainable behaviour (Brennan 2006).
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View more >A predominant view in ecological economics is that current levels and paths of consumption are unsustainable and should be corrected accordingly. This position often builds upon the background assump-tion that consumer preferences are not exogenously “given” but rather endogenously influenced by socioeconomic and institutional factors (Røpke 1999, 2009; O’Hara & Stagl 2002). Hence, it may be necessary to promote sustainability by – among other things – influencing people’s current preferences, ideally towards “less material consumption-oriented forms of satisfaction” (Norton, Costanza, & Bishop 1998) or “nonrival goods” (Wagner 2006). Information campaigns, advertisements, “nudges” (Thaler & Sunstein 2008) or some functionally equivalent device may be needed in order to overcome such locked-in consumption patterns. Influencing the demand side of the economy in this way may be a particularly powerful tool to promote sustainable behaviour (Brennan 2006).
View less >
Book Title
Understanding Economic Change: Advances in Evolutionary Economics
Subject
Heterodox Economics
Economic Development and Growth