A Study on Consumers’ Purchase Intention for Products Using Plastic Packaging - Centered on Cognitive Dissonance Arising from Personal and Social Factors -

This study empirically analyzed the mediating effects of personal and social factors and cognitive dissonance on the purchase intention of plastic packaging products. A theoretical model focused on personal factors (ethical responsibility, self-justification) and social factors (reference group influence, government policies), and structural equation modeling was conducted using SPSS(ver.27) and AMOS(ver.24). A survey was conducted on 275 general residents in the Seoul metropolitan area, and the hypotheses were tested through confirmatory factor analysis, path analysis, and bootstrapping. Results showed that ethical responsibility negatively influenced purchase intention, while self-justification had a positive influence. Reference group influence and government policies had no direct effects but showed significant indirect effects through cognitive dissonance. However, ethical responsibility and self-justification did not exhibit indirect effects via cognitive dissonance. These findings indicate that consumers recognize environmental burdens but justify practicality or experience conflicts due to social pressure before deciding on purchases. This study extends the application of cognitive dissonance theory to plastic packaging. Practically, messages reducing dissonance may encourage purchases among consumers with high ethical awareness, while emphasizing practicality may work for those high in self-justification. Policies evoking internal conflict and social norms may be more effective than coercive measures.