A Hierarchical Traits Perspective on Green Purchase Intention: Integrating the 3M Model, Consumption Values, and Green Trust

Abstract

This conceptual study addresses the enduring value–intention divide in green consumption by explaining how stable individual variations influence consumers’ intentions to buy green items. Based on the 3M model (Mowen, 2000), the study creates an integrative framework where the Big Five personality traits serve as fundamental dispositions that impact consumers' environmental awareness, which in turn influences their values for green product consumption. According to the concept, confidence in green products serves as a crucial psychological process that connects value perceptions to the intention to acquire green products. The study provides a logical explanation for why customers who exhibit pro-environmental values do not always convert those values into purchase intentions by arranging these correlations within a hierarchical trait structure. For green marketers looking to create communication strategies that increase knowledge, fortify value perceptions, and boost trust in green offerings, all of which increase the likelihood of green buy intentions. The framework also provides practical consequences.