Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (한국의류학회지)

The Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (한국의류학회)
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The Roles of Benefit and Risk Perception in Ethical Fashion Consumption

윤리적 패션소비에 대한 혜택 및 위험지각이 소비자 태도와 행동의도에 미치는 영향

  • Moon, Heekang (Dept. of Home Economics Education, Pai Chai University) ;
  • Choo, Ho Jung (Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University) ;
  • Park, Hye Sun (Dept. of Clothing & Textiles, Pai Chai University) ;
  • Baek, Eunsoo (Dept. of Clothing & Textiles, Seoul National University)
  • 문희강 (배재대학교 가정교육과) ;
  • 추호정 (서울대학교 생활과학연구소) ;
  • 박혜선 (배재대학교 의류패션학과) ;
  • 백은수 (서울대학교 의류학과)
  • Received : 2012.08.07
  • Accepted : 2013.01.28
  • Published : 2013.02.28
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Abstract

This research investigates the mechanism of ethical fashion consumption by examining the effects of benefit and risk perception on ethical fashion consumption attitudes and behavioral intention. To test the hypotheses, 300 female consumers between the ages of 20 and 49 were invited as study participants. The reliability and the validity of multi-item constructs were tested by Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The hypotheses were tested by utilizing Structural Equation Analysis and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The benefit perception of ethical consumption was composed of three benefit types, which were altruistic benefit, social image benefit, and self-oriented benefit. Benefit perception, except social image benefit, had significant effects on consumer attitudes towards ethical fashion consumption; similarly, benefit perception had significant effects on behavioral intention (except self-oriented benefit) which had an effect on behavioral intention only when it was mediated by attitudes. Further analysis was conducted to understand the reason for the weak relationship between attitudes and behavioral intention. Financial and performance risk perceptions were tested for the moderating roles of attitudes and behavioral intention; subsequently, only financial risk interacted with attitudes and showed that the positive effects of attitudes on behavioral intention were weakened by a high financial risk perception. Performance risk had a main effect on behavioral intention independent of attitudes. Managerial implication and future study directions are also discussed.

Keywords

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