Zhang Yunen, Nguyen Mai, Bu Yi
School of Business Administration, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanchang, 330032, China.
Department of Marketing, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia; School of Languages and Tourism, Hanoi University of Industry, Hanoi, Viet Nam.
Appetite. 2025 Jun 1;210:107974. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2025.107974. Epub 2025 Mar 22.
This study explores consumer preferences for alternative proteins within the context of pro-environmental choices. The primary objective is to identify and analyze the factors influencing consumers' choices between alternative and traditional proteins, as well as the moderating conditions that shape these preferences. To achieve this, three sequential studies were conducted to examine the differential effects of temporal landmarks, self-transcendence, and mindset abstraction on protein choice. A randomized mixed experimental design was employed, incorporating both between-subjects and within-subjects components. Findings indicate that consumers exhibit a higher propensity to select alternative proteins during morning hours. Moreover, self-transcendence was found to mediate the relationship between temporal landmarks and protein choices, while mindset abstraction moderated this association. This research uniquely integrates temporal psychology, self-transcendence, and construal level theory to explain dynamic sustainable protein choices under climate change. It introduces morning contexts as novel antecedents of self-transcendence, demonstrating that self-transcendence mediates the impact of temporal landmarks on alternative protein preferences, with this relationship being moderated by mindset abstraction. The theoretical contribution lies in linking micro-level temporal cues to macro-level environmental values, providing a unified framework to address the "when" (time), "why" (self-transcendence), and "for whom" (abstract thinkers) of sustainable choices. Also, this research extends existing knowledge of dynamic sustainable consumption patterns. Practical implications include actionable strategies for policymakers and marketers to design time-sensitive interventions, such as morning-targeted campaigns. These initiatives leverage self-transcendent mindsets and abstract thinking to systematically promote sustainable protein adoption, thereby advancing climate change mitigation efforts.
本研究在支持环保选择的背景下，探讨消费者对替代蛋白质的偏好。主要目标是识别和分析影响消费者在替代蛋白质和传统蛋白质之间做出选择的因素，以及塑造这些偏好的调节条件。为实现这一目标，进行了三项连贯的研究，以检验时间节点、自我超越和思维抽象对蛋白质选择的不同影响。采用了随机混合实验设计，纳入了组间和组内成分。研究结果表明，消费者在上午时段选择替代蛋白质的倾向更高。此外，研究发现自我超越在时间节点与蛋白质选择之间起中介作用，而思维抽象调节了这种关联。本研究独特地整合了时间心理学、自我超越和解释水平理论，以解释气候变化下动态的可持续蛋白质选择。它引入上午情境作为自我超越的新前因，表明自我超越中介了时间节点对替代蛋白质偏好的影响，且这种关系受到思维抽象的调节。理论贡献在于将微观层面的时间线索与宏观层面的环境价值观联系起来，提供了一个统一框架来解决可持续选择的“何时”（时间）、“为何”（自我超越）和“针对谁”（抽象思维者）的问题。此外，本研究扩展了关于动态可持续消费模式的现有知识。实际意义包括为政策制定者和营销人员提供可采取行动的策略，以设计针对时间敏感的干预措施，如针对上午的宣传活动。这些举措利用自我超越的思维模式和抽象思维来系统地促进可持续蛋白质的采用，从而推进气候变化缓解工作。
