Nghiên cứu sinh Lê Thị Thu Mai bảo vệ luận án tiến sĩ
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE DISSERTATION
Dissertation title: The impact of intrinsic motivation on pro-environmental consumption behaviors
Specialization: Business Administration (E-PhD) Specialization code: 9340101
Candidate: Lê Thị Thu Mai
Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Vũ Hùng
Original contributions on academic and theoretical aspects
This research makes two key contributions to literature. First, by employing the Self Determination theory, it answers the call by scholars to examine synergistic impacts of motivations on pro-environmental consumption behavior. In fact, most studies in extant literature have focused on factors that can influence pro-environmental consumption behaviors, this research may be among the first to emphasize the importance role of not only intrinsic motivation but also its synergy with extrinsic motivation and with prosocial motivation in promoting pro-environmental consumption behavior.
Second, findings of this study have extended the cognitive evaluation theory, a mini theory of self-determination theory in terms of the relationship between three psychological needs and intrinsic motivation. Besides the independent effects of each need on intrinsic motivation pointed out in extant literature, findings of this dissertation highlighted the negative interaction effects between pairs of psychological needs as predictors of intrinsic motivation. This study, thus, may be the first attempt to identify that in the context of reducing single-use plastic consumption, besides being enhanced independently by the fulfillment of three basic psychological needs as proposed by self-determination theory, intrinsic motivation can also be influenced by the compensation effects of each pair of these needs. This study thus extends self-determination theory to contexts where both dimensions of intrinsic motivation, including the hedonic and eudaimonic ones, may operate.
Recommendations derived from the findings of the dissertation
Based on the findings, this research has proposed five groups of recommendations for policy makers and businesses to encourage less single-use plastic consumption related to:
(1) Combining intrinsic motivators and extrinsic motivators to encourage less single-use plastic consumption
(2) Combining intrinsic motivators and prosocial motivators to encourage less single-use plastic consumption
(3) Satisfying consumers’ need for competence in reducing single-use plastics
(4) Satisfying consumers’ need for autonomy in reducing single-use plastics
(5) Satisfying consumers’ need for relatedness in reducing single-use plastics
