Social norms and socially responsible consumption behavior in the sharing economy: The mediation role of reciprocity motivation

The sharing economy has become a rapidly growing global phenomenon, providing economic, social, and environmental benefits through resource redistribution. However, the low cost of engaging in misbehavior has led to a lack of socially responsible consumer behavior, posing a threat to the sustainability of sharing services. This study investigates the impact of social norms on promoting socially responsible consumption behavior in the context of shared bicycles, focusing on the role of injunctive norms and descriptive norms, and the mediating effect of reciprocity motivation. Using a behavioral experiment, this study find that injunctive norms have a stronger influence than descriptive norms, and that rewards are more effective than punishments in promoting socially responsible consumption behavior. This study highlights the social responsibility of consumers towards their peers in the sharing economy, an aspect that has been overlooked in previous research. Furthermore, this research reveals a unique influence mechanism of social norms on promoting socially responsible consumption through reciprocity motivation. These findings extend the understanding of the focus theory of normative conduct and offer valuable insights for promoting socially responsible consumption behavior in the sharing economy.