No effect of acknowledging resistance or using autonomy-supportive language in vlogs on sustainable consumption intentions of emerging adults.

OBJECTIVE: The production and consumption of red meat is a considerable source of environmental harm, underscoring the need to reduce red meat consumption. Emerging adults (ages 18-25 y/o) are disproportionately affected by the future consequences of climate change. However, meat eaters often react negatively to the promotion of plant-based alternatives. In this study, we tested whether acknowledging resistance and using autonomy-supportive language can promote a more sustainable diet in emerging adults.

METHODS AND MEASURES: The online experiment used a 2 (acknowledging resistance: yes vs. no) x 2 (autonomy-supportive language: yes vs. no) factorial between-subjects design in which participants were exposed to a vlog. After exposure, participants indicated their intention to consume red meat and plant-based alternatives using 7-point Likert scales.

RESULTS: Bayesian analyses show that emerging adults experience less controlling intent and more autonomy support in the autonomy-supportive language conditions. But acknowledging resistance or using autonomy-supportive language is not effective in altering sustainable consumption intentions.

CONCLUSION: We conclude that emerging adults experience vlogs with autonomy-supportive language more positively, but these messages do not enhance the intention to adopt a more sustainable diet.