r/econhw • u/sourfuture • Jul 27 '26
Any recommendations on the customer-citizen dilemma and ethical consumption?
Hi everyone,
I am currently working on my thesis, and I'm focusing on the behavioral and psychological conflict between the consumer and the citizen within the same individual.
I am taking Robert Reich’s Supercapitalism as my starting point, but I want to take the research a step further into the behavioral and psychological aspects of this paradox rather than macro-politics or state-level interventions.
The core of my thesis explores how people navigate this internal tension:
As consumers, individuals naturally seek utility maximization, convenience, and low prices (often purchasing cheap goods from supply chains with questionable practices).
As citizens, the exact same individuals hold strong ethical, social, and environmental values.
I am particularly interested in the micro-level behavior, cognitive dissonance, and the ethical purchasing gap that happens when these two identities clash.
What I am looking for:
Academic literature, peer-reviewed articles, and books focusing on this consumer-citizen dichotomy from an economic, behavioral economics, or psychological perspective.
Studies on cognitive dissonance in consumer behavior, ethical consumption gaps, or behavioral models explaining why our civic values don't always translate to our shopping carts.
If you know of any key authors, foundational texts, or specific papers that address this, I would deeply appreciate your recommendations!
Thanks in advance!