The role of religiosity in self-concept and ethical consumption

The importance of religiosity and the self is recognised from the consume ethics literature. Little attention has been paid to the notion of self in relation to religiosity and ethical behaviour. This paper aims to explore the role of religiosity through the self within the ethical consumption context. By adopting the phenomenological research approach, it allows the self to move along the continuum between internal and external entities. To examine one’s self-concept in relation to religiosity and ethical consumption experiences, the processes of internationalisation and externalisation are facilitated of such flexible movement. 10 in-depth phenomenological interviews are conducted in the Thai consumer context; it is where religiosity has been placed high in value. The research findings suggest that religiosity is a source of moral self (through internalisation) and moral identity (through externalisation), in which the religiosity-self relationship influences ethical consumption behaviour in a more positive way. Overall, this study enhances an understanding of the meanings of religiosity through one’s self (i.e., including inner self, moral self, moral identity, positive self and negative self) and lived experiences in ethical consumption.