Conceptualising wise and unwise consumption decisions
Quynh Ngoc Xuan Nguyen, Nadia Zainuddin, Nguyen T. Thai, Nina Louise ReynoldsPurpose
This study aims to conceptualise (un)wise consumption decisions as situated enactments of the balance between personal and collective well-being, shaped by the coordination of emotional, relational and situational factors. It addresses the gap in wisdom research: while existing studies identify the characteristics of wise consumers, less is known about how wisdom operates amid competing goals and contextual pressures.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the critical incident technique, 65 participants recounted lived consumption decision episodes they identified as wise or unwise, yielding 130 incidents. Thematic analysis revealed how triggers, contextual factors, emotional dynamics and decision outcomes unfold in practice.
Findings
Wise consumption decisions arise when emotional, relational and situational forces are adaptively coordinated, generating practical benefits and lasting positive emotions. Unwise consumption decisions occur when these dimensions are absent, overactivated or in conflict, producing impulsivity, guilt or regret. Paradoxically, even virtuous tendencies can yield unwise outcomes when these forces become misaligned.
Research limitations/implications
This study is based on retrospective self-reported incidents, which may limit causal inference and temporal accuracy. Future research should explore these dynamics longitudinally. Further, field experiments, such as behavioural observations or transaction records, can also be used to enhance the robustness of the findings on actual behaviour.
Practical implications
This study offers a broader perspective on how individuals navigate competing personal, social and environmental priorities in real-world consumption contexts. It provides practical insights for designing interventions that support wise consumption in diverse contexts. Practitioners can use these findings to balance sustainability goals with individual needs to promote wise consumption as solutions that appeal to broader audiences and serve as stepping stones towards adopting sustainable practices across and within sectors.
Originality/value
The study reconceptualises wisdom as a contextually enacted process; theorises balance as an active mechanism of adaptive coordination; foregrounds the relational and emotional foundations of wise consumption decisions; and positions emotion as both an outcome and a constitutive mechanism. Together, these contributions offer a grounded basis for interventions that foster reflective context-sensitive pathways to sustainable consumption.