In many situations, consumers have to make a sacrifice (e.g., price premium, loss of personal comfort and efficiency) when choosing a green product over its traditional alternative. Utilizing attribution theory, we offer a set of research propositions as an attempt to explain how consumers may rationalize their perceived sacrifice in making green purchases. First, we posit that consumers’ internal attribution (i.e., individual behaviors cause environmental degradation) enhances their green purchase behavior. Second, internal attribution would generate senses of self-efficacy and guilt, which lead to motivations to accept the perceived sacrifice in purchasing green products. Third, when green purchase indicates a significant sacrifice, consumers tend to develop a coping strategy by switching attribution of responsibility to others, and thus the influence of internal attribution on green purchase will be weakened.

It is commonly observed that Korean students tend to use the English conjunction so more often than any other English conjunction when expressing cause or reason in English. On the other hand, because is the conjunction of choice among native English speakers. This paper attempts to explain why Korean English learners have the tendency to use so over other conjunctions, and to analyze some of the similarities and differences in the use of Korean and English causal connectors. The findings of the study provide an empirical basis for the development of course design and teaching materials, especially for the development of courses in English writing for academic purposes.