FOSTERING PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR WITH GREEN CONSUMER IS: THE EFFECTS OF IS-INDUCED CONSTRUAL AND GENERAL IS USAGE MOTIVATIONS

In the context of the environmental challenges we are facing, technology is often seen as both a cause of and a potential remedy for humanity’s environmental impact. Green consumer infor-mation systems (IS) have shown to be powerful in promoting individuals’ pro-environmental be-havior. Yet, there is little knowledge about the mechanisms of how information systems lead to a sustainable change in behavior for the good. To fill this gap, we propose an experiment on the basis of a research model that sheds light on two critical aspects of how green consumer IS af-fects pro-environmental behavior: First, green consumer IS may be used to induce higher-level construals that foster superordinate determinants of pro-environmental behavior by displaying rather abstract than concrete information. Second, we analyze the direct and indirect role of technology adoption as a means to motivate pro-environmental behavior. To test our hypothe-ses, we propose an online experiment on eco-driving feedback and present first drafts of stimuli. Implications for consumer IS theory as well as for practice regarding feedback design are dis-cussed.