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Transforming Consumer Behavior: Introducing Self-Inquiry-Based and Self-Experience-Based Learning for Building Personal Competencies for Sustainable Consumption

Author

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  • Pascal Frank

    (Institute for Environmental and Sustainability Communication, Leuphana University of Lueneburg, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany)

  • Laura Sophie Stanszus

    (Institute of Economic Education and Sustainable Consumption (IBBA), Technische Universität Berlin, Marchstr. 23, 10587 Berlin, Germany)

Abstract

Despite growing educational efforts in various areas of society and albeit expanding knowledge on the background and consequences of consumption, little has changed about individual consumer behavior and its detrimental impact. Against this backdrop, some scholars called for a stronger focus on personal competencies, especially affective–motivational ones to foster more sustainable consumption. Such competencies, however, are rarely addressed within the context of education for sustainable consumption. Responding to this gap, we suggest two new learning formats that allow students to systematically acquire affective–motivational competencies: self-inquiry-based learning (SIBL) and self-experience-based learning (SEBL). We developed these approaches at Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany, since 2016, and applied them within the framework of two seminars called Personal Approaches to Sustainable Consumption. Conducting scholarship of teaching and learning, we investigated the potential of SIBL and SEBL for cultivating personal competencies for sustainable development in general and sustainable consumption in particular. Our results indicate that SIBL and SEBL are promising approaches for this purpose.

Suggested Citation

  • Pascal Frank & Laura Sophie Stanszus, 2019. "Transforming Consumer Behavior: Introducing Self-Inquiry-Based and Self-Experience-Based Learning for Building Personal Competencies for Sustainable Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-19, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:9:p:2550-:d:227825
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rodrigo Lozano & Michelle Y. Merrill & Kaisu Sammalisto & Kim Ceulemans & Francisco J. Lozano, 2017. "Connecting Competences and Pedagogical Approaches for Sustainable Development in Higher Education: A Literature Review and Framework Proposal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-15, October.
    2. Larissa Schütte & Diana Gregory-Smith, 2015. "Neutralisation and Mental Accounting in Ethical Consumption: The Case of Sustainable Holidays," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(6), pages 1-14, June.
    3. United Nations UN, 2015. "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Working Papers id:7559, eSocialSciences.
    4. Andreas Chatzidakis & Sally Hibbert & Andrew Smith, 2007. "Why People Don’t Take their Concerns about Fair Trade to the Supermarket: The Role of Neutralisation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 74(1), pages 89-100, August.
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    2. José María Marcos-Merino & Isaac Corbacho-Cuello & Míriam Hernández-Barco, 2020. "Analysis of Sustainability Knowingness, Attitudes and Behavior of a Spanish Pre-Service Primary Teachers Sample," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-22, September.
    3. Lorenz Probst, 2022. "Higher Education for Sustainability: A Critical Review of the Empirical Evidence 2013–2020," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-24, March.
    4. Daniela Šálková & Inna Čábelková & Dita Hommerová, 2024. "Ethical Consumption: What Makes People Buy "Ethical" Products," Central European Business Review, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2024(2), pages 27-52.
    5. Eva-Maria Waltner & Katja Scharenberg & Christian Hörsch & Werner Rieß, 2020. "What Teachers Think and Know about Education for Sustainable Development and How They Implement it in Class," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-15, February.
    6. Míriam Hernández-Barco & Jesús Sánchez-Martín & José Blanco-Salas & Trinidad Ruiz-Téllez, 2020. "Teaching Down to Earth —Service-Learning Methodology for Science Education and Sustainability at the University Level: A Practical Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-23, January.
    7. Mercedes Varela-Losada & Pedro Vega-Marcote & María Lorenzo-Rial & Uxío Pérez-Rodríguez, 2021. "The Challenge of Global Environmental Change: Attitudinal Trends in Teachers-In-Training," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-19, January.
    8. Sabrina Helm & Brintha Subramaniam, 2019. "Exploring Socio-Cognitive Mindfulness in the Context of Sustainable Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-17, July.

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