KOREASCHOLAR

Corporations, governments, and non-profits across the world have implemented proenvironmental campaigns to promote sustainable practices. To better understand crosscultural differences in environmental persuasion, we draw on research on self-conscious emotion (Tangney & Dearing, 2002), construal level theory (Trope & Liberman, 2010), and cultural psychology (Ratner, 2000). The current research examines how the emotions of guilt and shame cause people from Eastern and Western cultures to differently perceive green advertising messages that are framed concretely or abstractly. Two hundred fifty-five undergraduate students were randomly assigned to a 2 (emotion priming: guilt vs. shame) x 2 (construal message frame: abstract vs. concrete message) x 2 (nationality: Americans vs. Koreans) between-subjects design. The results indicate that message concreteness effect is present among guilt-primed Americans and shame-primed Koreans (culturally relevant), but absent among shame-primed Americans and guilt-primed Koreans (culturally irrelevant). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed for developing global green advertising message strategies.

• Tae Hyun Baek(University of Kentucky, USA)
• Sukki Yoon(Bryant University, USA)
• Yeonshin Kim(Myongji University, Republic of Korea)
• Seeun Kim(Auburn University, USA)
• Yung Kyun Choi(Dongguk University, Republic of Korea)