Campus as a Catalyst: “Education Developing Personality Traits Towards Responsible Consumption”

Abstract

Global concerns about responsible consumerism are becoming more and more important, impacting economies and enterprises all around the world. According to recent studies, educating young people for sustainable development is essential to their ability to effect change. However, sustainable education frequently occupies a marginal place in the mainstream curriculum. Even with a wealth of data, more thorough empirical investigations are still required to fully comprehend how responsible conduct may be promoted via education and how responsible aims are incorporated into educational institutions. Such studies are warranted due to the dearth of studies on education behavior and the need to investigate the relationship between the educational system and responsible conduct in Gen 'Z'.

Two main goals are sought by this study: first, to ascertain if ‘HEXACO’ personality traits of Gen' Z’ have an impact on responsible consumption practices, including minimalism, rational consumption, local consumption, sustainable consumption, and consumption that is mindful of the climate. Second, it seeks to comprehend how the educational for sustainable development, modifies the association between responsible consumption and personality traits. The study finds several impact areas where personality factors have direct and indirect effects on responsible consumption among Gen 'Z'. The sample size was 302 students from India, obtained via an online survey. The analysis was conducted using "Structural Equation Modeling" (SEM). The results also highlight how much Gen Z's responsible conduct is influenced by educational institutions on topics related to sustainable development. The findings of the study have a substantial impact on practice and academia, improving our knowledge of responsible consumption behavior and psychology. Additionally, the study emphasizes how crucial it is to include sustainability concerns in education because learning is a key factor in responsible consumption.