When Do We Recover from Loneliness: The Role of Green Consumption and Social Value

While prior research has shown that loneliness has negative consequences on individuals’ mental and physical health, little is known about when and how individuals emotionally recover from it. This study investigates whether individuals’ engagement in green consumption alters the extent to which they emotionally recover from loneliness. Across behavioral experiments, we show that green consumption offers emotional benefit for those experiencing loneliness through their perceived social value. This research advances the theoretical understanding of the effectiveness of green consumption in emotional recovery from loneliness. Moreover, we provide practical guidance for marketers to design advertisements and campaigns that emphasize the social and environmental benefits of green consumption.