Institute of Art Design + Technology Dún Laoghaire
Ireland’s campus for the Creative Industries

Rachel Lyons 

Project Description

This study examines how digital nudges may be used to engage users moral identity, and how this may encourage users towards more ethical choices in an online environment.


Exploring the Impact of Moral Identity on online Purchasing Behaviours

As social media rises, so does consumers' awareness of the negative impacts of unethical, unsustainable production practices. With this rise in awareness has come an increase in consumers' desire to make more ethically and environmentally positive choices through their purchasing behaviors. Despite this interest in making more ethical choices studies have shown that there is a discrepancy, as users' desire to make positive shopping choices does not necessarily translate when examining their actual purchasing behaviours. Studies propose several factors may be impacting consumers' behaviors when trying to shop ethically, but the key factors which will be explored in this study will be the impact of moral identity on individuals shopping choices in an ethical fashion environment, and the role misinformation plays on impacting the choices individuals make. These concepts will be examined through a UX design lens by exploring how digital nudges may be used to encourage and facilitate more ethical shopping practices.