Does religiosity matter for vice product consumption among Chinese individuals?

Religiosity defines the extrinsic utilitarian and intrinsic spiritual motivations of religious individuals. Many people have adopted vice product consumption, including addictive behaviours like alcohol drinking and gambling, in part to relieve daily pressure and tension. By applying the Theory of Planned Behaviour, this exploratory study examines the role of religiosity on Chinese individuals' alcohol drinking and gambling consumption urges via the mediating role of perceived (internal and external) behavioural control. Two separate studies were conducted, with a total of 1,010 respondents. The results showed a significant direct positive relationship between intrinsic religiosity and an individual's perceived behavioural control (both internal and external). There was no significant link between extrinsic religiosity and perceived behavioural control. Moreover, perceived internal behavioural control partially mediated the relationship between intrinsic religiosity and vice product consumption urges. These findings have meaningful implications for policymakers and social marketers.