Organic food.  The latest “greenest” companies list.  ENERGY STAR.  A boycott of a retailer for its human rights abuses.  How do people react to all of these claims?  Have they become so numerous that people have become so confused and overloaded that they ignore them, or are they beginning to be able to identify the ones they believe and trust?  What forms of information do consumers respond to more positively?  These questions all relate to the “psychology of sustainability information,” and SIL is conducting important research in this area.  Check out the links below to learn more.

• “Green” Demand: This study uses conjoint analysis to identify consumer preferences for different types of eco-labels and sustainability ratings.
• The Effects of Information: This project is exploring the effects of different forms of information on consumer preferences for certified products.
• Eco-Consumers vs. Eco-Citizens: This project is investigating the relationship between individuals’ identities as responsible consumers and engaged citizens.
• Value Activation: This project is analyzing the extent to which intentions to purchase organic food products can be increased by advertisements designed to activate different values.
• Mental Budgeting: This project is exploring the extent to which consumers exhibit a mental budgeting effect when they are encouraged to consider eco-labeled products as part of their philanthropy or health-related budgets.
• Individual Sustainability Certification: This project is investigating the effects of a certification program designed to certify that individuals are maintaining a certain level of sustainability performance.