An Expectancy-Value Approach to the Study of Beliefs Underlying Consumer Boycott Intention

Abstract

In order to (a) investigate the expectancy-value model supporting the beliefs behind boycott intentions in thetheory of planned behaviour, and (b) to identify the specific beliefs that could be used as targets incounter-boycott participation interventions, this paper adopts a socio-cognitive approach to examine the beliefsunderpinning consumers' boycott intention. A randomized systematic sample of 500 respondents completed aquestionnaire measuring both the indirect and direct TPB variables with respect to boycotting. The statisticalresults confirmed the validity of the expectancy-value principle in the TPB. By delineating the beliefs that werestatistically significant predictors of direct TPB measures and intention, the study identified belief targets thatcan be utilized to develop countermeasures persuading consumers not to boycott American companies in theArab World. This application of a socio-psychological theory to consumers' boycott behaviour yieldedsignificant contributions both at the empirical and the managerial levels.