ABSTRACT
Consumer behavior is interdisciplinary in nature, rating among the most-investigated issues within a broad range of fields including psychology, sociology, management and marketing. Environmental awareness is indeed experiencing an unprecedented boost: new interpretative frameworks on consumer behavior, new trends and analytical techniques emerging need to be systematized to provide a holistic, well-structured view of such a complex issue. The analysis of the disposition towards sustainability of an individual should consider how such changes in attitude are affected by both internal and external factors. Three traditional paradigms focus on the prevalence of a rational, behavioral or cognitive perspective and on the role of conscious and rational economic calculations, external environmental factors and information processing, respectively. To add complexity to an intrinsically composite topic, when it comes to sustainability, consumer behavior attains a structure of values and beliefs challenging traditional patterns. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
