IGEE at Yonsei University

Exploring the Moderating Role of Curiosity in the Relationship Between Disability Awareness and Consumer Behaviors

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Date : 2025-11-03  |  Read : 248

Research and Activity Objectives and Content   This study aims to identify the psychological factors involved when consumers’ “interest” in social innovation enterprises translates into “actions” such as purchases, investments, or donations. The objectives are:

1. To examine whether curiosity acts as a moderating factor between ethical awareness and ethical consumption behavior. Specifically, the study will explore how trait curiosity influences the prioritization of ethical concerns and affects the process through which awareness leads to action.

2. To evaluate the effectiveness of situational curiosity-inducing techniques used in advertisements for disability-friendly companies. The study will investigate how different curiosity triggers enhance consumers’ situational curiosity and whether increasing the number of triggers amplifies this effect, providing foundational insights for marketing strategies.

Research and Activity Plans or Methodology

Study 1 will test the role of curiosity in the relationship between ethical awareness and ethical consumption. An online survey will be conducted with 400 Korean university students aged 19 and above.

Study 2 will examine the effectiveness of curiosity-inducing techniques in advertising products from disability-friendly companies. An online experiment will be conducted with 280 Korean university students (not participating in Study 1). Participants will be randomly assigned to four conditions—information gap, ambiguity, information gap + ambiguity, and control—with 70 participants per condition.

Expected Effects and Follow-up Plans   The expected impacts are academic, practical, policy-related, and social:

1. Academic: Introduces curiosity as a new psychological variable to help explain the intention–behavior gap in ethical consumption, contributing to theoretical development in consumer behavior research.

2. Practical: Provides actionable marketing strategies for disability-friendly social enterprises, showing how information gaps and ambiguity can effectively stimulate situational curiosity and convert it into purchases or donations.

3. Policy: Offers a new approach applicable to government and local initiatives supporting people with disabilities.

4. Social: Supports the independence and social participation of people with disabilities and contributes to creating a more inclusive society through the promotion of ethical consumption.

This research therefore combines academic contributions with practical guidance for the growth of disability-friendly social enterprises and policy applications.

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