Augmented influence: how AR-enabled social proof and anticipated pride drive sustainable fashion consumption

Purpose This study examines how augmented reality (AR) interfaces displaying social proof influence sustainable fashion consumption. Grounded in social influence theory, it aims to investigate whether social proof increases sustainable purchase intention through anticipated pride and whether this process varies with social visibility and preview type. Design/methodology/approach Four experiments were conducted. A behavioral pretest assessed actual purchases after an AR try-on with or without social proof. Study 1b tested the main effect of social proof on sustainable purchase intention. Study 2 examined the mediating role of anticipated pride. Study 3 tested a moderated mediation by manipulating social visibility. Study 4 compared images versus AR previews to assess whether immersion strengthens the social influence process. Findings Across studies, AR social proof reliably increased sustainable choices. The behavioral pretest showed higher actual purchases with social proof. The subsequent experiments demonstrated that social proof enhanced sustainable purchase intentions through anticipated pride. This pathway was stronger when decisions were public and further intensified when consumers viewed products through immersive AR previews. Originality/value This research positions AR as a social influence mechanism that activates affective motivations for sustainability. It identifies anticipated pride as the key emotional driver linking AR social proof to sustainable behavior and shows that both visibility and immersive previews strengthen its impact. The findings offer actionable guidance for designing AR experiences that encourage environmentally responsible purchasing.