Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior in Consumer Boycott Intentions During Geopolitical Conflict

Abstract

This study examines consumers’ intentions to boycott brands associated with the Israel–Palestine conflict by extending the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to include anticipated emotions, consumer animosity, perceived efficacy, and social media influence. Data were collected from 179 Indonesian consumers through a cross-sectional survey using five-point Likert-scale items and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Negative anticipated emotions were the strongest predictor of boycott intention, suggesting that anticipated guilt, regret, and moral discomfort about not participating are associated with a greater intention to boycott. Consumer animosity, however, was not significantly associated with boycott intention. The model explained 78.5% of the variance in boycott intention. These findings highlight the relevance of anticipated emotions and perceived efficacy to the study of consumer boycott intentions in geopolitical contexts. They may also help organizations understand consumer responses to socially sensitive issues.