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UM E-Theses Collection (澳門大學電子學位論文庫)

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Title

The influence of religiosity on Chinese vice product consumption

English Abstract

Abstract Common vice product consumption has become a way to relax and escape from tensions in everyday life. Alcohol consumption and gambling were selected as common vice products in this research. The thesis proposes that religiosity, as a shared religious value, can potentially influence individual vice product consumption urges in different ways. Utilitarian and spiritual motivations of religions are defined as extrinsic religiosity and intrinsic religiosity. Perceived behavioural control from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991) is proposed to be a potential mediator between religiosity and vice consumption urges in this study. The objective of this study is to understand the religious impact, in terms of religiosity from serval main religions, on vice product consumption urges that lead to consumptive behaviours. Four progressive studies illustrate the theoretical linkage between religiosity and vice consumption urges. All studies are conducted via online surveys, with a total of 1,829 valid respondents. Study 1 examines the direct relationship between religiosity and vice consumption urges, while also explores the moderating effects of impulsiveness and loneliness. Study 2 reveals that intrinsic religiosity (but not extrinsic religiosity) is associated with higher perceived behavioural control (both external and internal) under a vice consumption context. The results of Study 3 support the mediating effect of perceived internal behavioural control in terms of the relationship between intrinsic religiosity and vice consumption urges; this effect does not apply to perceived external behavioural control. Study 4 shows that impulsiveness can affect the negative indirect relationship between intrinsic religiosity and vice urges - impulsiveness negatively moderates the relationship between inthnsic religiosity and perceived internal behavioural control. Loneliness can also affect the negative indirect relationship between intrinsic religiosity and vice urges loneliness negatively moderates the relationship between intrinsic religiosity and perceived internal behavioural control. So, both impulsiveness and loneliness can minimise the good impact from intrinsic religiosity to lower vice consumption urges indirectly. In sum, the results support a value impact mechanism inclusive of both substance and behavioural vice consumptions represented by alcohol drinking and gambling. Under the context of vice consumption, the level of intrinsic individuals only affects perceived internal behavioural control. Higher intrinsic religiosity nurtures self- confidence that increases internal resources for behavioural control, leading to lower vice product urges. This can be explained by the persistent spiritual adherence and dedication to God(s) that promote practicing daily internal behavioural control. Nevertheless, individuals with higher levels of impulsiveness and loneliness tend to experience lower positive impacts from intrinsic religiosity. As vice consumption has become a global societal issue, this research proposes that religiosity has an antecedent role in TPB and especially on perceived internal behavioural control of vice consumption intentionality. To protect vulnerable and encourage consumers to avoid overconsumption of vice products, this resear suggests that policy makers consider personal religious values in conjunction with encouragement of better perceived internal behavioural control, especially for a de-marketing program of vice products in countries with large religious populations. Keywords: religiosity, perceived behavioural control, vice product urge

Issue date

2021.

Author

Mok, I Man

Faculty

Faculty of Business Administration

Department

Department of Management and Marketing

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject

Consumer behavior

Religions -- Influence

Supervisor

Lam, Chee Shiong

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Full-text (Intranet only)

Location
1/F Zone C
Library URL
991010082327206306