Being moral and doing good to others: Re-examining the role of emotion, judgment, and identity on prosocial behavior

Abstract

Purpose

Although previous research has established that moral emotion, moral judgment, and moral identity influence consumer intention to engage in prosocial behavior (e.g. donating, volunteering) under some circumstances, these factors, in reality, can concurrently influence judgment process. Therefore, it is important to get a more nuanced understanding of how the combinations of each factor can lead to a high intention to engage in prosocial behavior. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This research employs fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to explore different configurations of moral emotion, judgment, and identity that lead to a high consumer intention to engage in prosocial behavior.

Findings

Findings indicate four configurations of moral emotion, moral judgment, and moral identity that lead to a high intention to engage in prosocial behavior.

Research limitations/implications

This research focuses on the case of a hospital in Indonesia; thus, it is important not to overgeneralize the findings. Nonetheless, from a methodological standpoint, opportunity emerges to broaden the examinations in other service and cultural contexts.

Practical implications

The findings of this research can help the hospital to develop effective combinations of advertising and marketing strategies to promote prosocial behavior among its customers.

Originality/value

This paper provides the first empirical evidence on the existence of multiple pathways of moral emotion, judgment, and identity that lead to a high consumer intention to engage in prosocial behavior. The implications of this research also highlight the importance of cultural context in understanding consumer behavior.

Citation

Septianto, F. and Soegianto, B. (2017), "Being moral and doing good to others: Re-examining the role of emotion, judgment, and identity on prosocial behavior", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 35 No. 2, pp. 180-191. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-06-2016-0093