Certain personality traits drive a shopper to be, or not to be, a green consumer and it has little to do with political preference, says from Duke University social scientists Scott de Marchi and James T. Hamilton in a new book. The U.S. News and World Report spoke with the authors of “You Are What You Choose” to find out what top traits encourage a person to go green.
de Marchi and Hamilton examined data on the personality traits of individuals and how they made a range of everyday decisions. The found green consumers are more likely to be influenced by the ideological benefit of the purchase, like altruism for instance, rather than the practical purpose. They are also more willing to sacrifice short-term pleasure for long-term goals and they are influenced by their friends and family members who also buy eco-friendly products.