Reorienting consumer education using social learning theory: sustainable development via authentic consumer pedagogy Sue L.T. McGregor Faculty of Education, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Keywords Social learning theory, consumer education, sustainable development, consumer behaviour, authentic pedagogy, UNESCO Decade. Correspondence Sue L.T. McGregor, Faculty of Education, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS, Canada B3M 2J6. E-mail: sue.mcgregor@msvu.ca doi: 10.1111/j.1470-6431.2009.00766.x Abstract The paper illustrates the growing interest in understanding consumer behaviour through a social learning theory (SLT) lens, and explains the recently launched United Nations Decade for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Then, the discussion turns to an overview of a recently developed ESD/SLT integrated theoretical framework, which is then applied to consumer education via an authentic pedagogy. The paper highlights the rich potential of authentic intellectual work in the form of observational learning by augment- ing ESD within authentic consumer education curricula. Introduction Many consumer behaviours do not result from merely rational choices. Complex consumer behavioural patterns often are imi- tated and learned from others. This imitation involves complex internal learning processes that may not be visible to consumer educators (Martiskainen, 2007). Social learning theory (SLT) has evolved as a theoretical framework that focuses on this dimen- sion of consumer behaviour (McGregor, 2007). The social in SLT refers to the context within which learning occurs. Bandura (1977) explained that people not only learn from their own per- sonal, lived experiences. They also learn from watching what others do, and what happens to these people when they do it. In essence, people can learn behaviours, emotional reactions and attitudes from watching other people. This assumption also applies to consumer behaviour. If consumers emulate or copy behaviour, they are said to have learned. SLT concerns itself with the ways people learn to respond to their environment, and with the patterns of responses they learn and apply in their lives (Martiskainen, 2007). From an SLT perspective, the intent of consumer education is to get people to change their consumer behaviour through learn- ing by watching (not necessarily just by doing). SLT posits that people will consume, knowing they are not going to receive an external reward or validation for their behaviour; rather, they consume in certain ways (e.g. sustainable, justice-focused ways) because they know their internal thoughts, values, attitudes and beliefs also merit an internal reward (Bandura, 1977). From this stance of internal moral reinforcement, consumers can become empowered citizens who are more likely to engage in sustainable consumption. To that end, the objective of this paper is to bring SLTinto the repertoire of consumer educators who are concerned with Educa- tion for Sustainable Development (ESD). After (a) illustrating the growing interest in understanding consumer behaviour through an SLT lens, and (b) explaining the recently launched United Nations (UN) Decade for ESD, the paper (c) shares an overview of a recently developed ESD/SLT integrated theoretical framework (McGregor, 2007), which is then (d) applied to consumer educa- tion via (e) an authentic pedagogy. The SLT and consumer behaviour The SLT, to be explained in more detail shortly, is gaining cre- dence as a framework for understanding how consumer behaviour is learned through people’s own experiences as well as watching others’ behaviour and people’s responses to that behaviour. Janssen and Jager (1999) asserted that SLT provides a valuable perspective on processes of imitation (and attendant concepts) that may guide consumer behaviour. Lee et al. (2003) affirmed that SLT is a credible theoretical framework for explaining how people learn consumer skills and related behaviour. Glanz and Rimer (2005) maintained that consumption behaviour can be understood using SLT and, what is more important, this behaviour can be International Journal of Consumer Studies ISSN 1470-6423 International Journal of Consumer Studies 33 (2009) 258–266 © The Author Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd 258