Social-Psychological Factors and Energy Behaviors Chien-fei
Chen CURENT course November 6th, 2014 Knoxville, Tennessee
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Social Psychological Factors and Energy Behaviors Why should
you care? Factors Influencing Electricity Savings (Barriers)
Decision-making Models Evidence of Energy and Behaviors Demand
response, incentives and behavioral changes Factors Influencing
Public Acceptance of Smart Meters Intervention (Feedback, Norms,
Goal- setting, Framing)
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Decision-making: understand the process of how individuals make
decisions in energy domain and the impact of behaviors on energy
use and the environment as a whole. Awareness: connection between
engineering profession to the consequences of its activities on the
society. Improvement: engineering technology designs and make
broader impact. Persuasion: explain and discuss the ramifications
of developments in engineering and engineering works to the public.
Big Picture! Why Should You Care?
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Typical Social Science Studies Theories Evidences Collect Data
(cross- sectional survey; experiments) Analyze Modeling
Interpretation
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Social Psychological Factors and Energy Behaviors Why should
you care? Factors Influencing Electricity Savings Decision-making
Models Evidence of Energy and Behaviors Demand response, incentives
and behavioral changes Factors Influencing Public Acceptance of
Smart Meters Intervention (Norms, Goal- setting, Framing)
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Energy and Behavioral Change What are the factors affecting
energy use? How to reduce energy consumption? How to change peoples
behaviors over time?
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Creating an Energy Revolution A revolution doesnt happen when
society adopts new tools, it happens when society adopts new
behaviors (Glay Shirky, Digital Guru) Mitigate future climate
change will be made by energy consumers, rather than suppliers not
a straightforward and easily achievable goal (EIA, 2009)
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U.S. Energy Consumption in 2010
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Questions What is your average monthly electricity consumption?
What is average American household electricity consumption?
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A Household Consumption in TN
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Average Monthly Electricity Consumption per Household in 2012
Tennessee Average: 1217KWh Highest in the nation (ranked 2 nd ) US.
Average 940 KWh
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Evidences of Energy Behaviors Behavioral approach could save
123 million metric tons of carbon annually in year 10 from a study
of 17 household actions, representing 20% of household direct
emissions or 7.4% of U.S. national emissions. Types of household
behaviors (based on cost and frequency of action) could result in a
22% reduction in household and personal transportation energy use
over a 5-8 year period (Laitner & Ehrhardt-Martinez, 2009). In
crisis situations, energy saving has resulted in immediate,
community-level electricity savings of 25% in 6 weeks and
post-crisis savings of 8-10% (Leighty & Meier, 2010). Feedback
programs and devices could save electricity from 4-12%
(Ehrhardt-Martinez, et al. 2010).
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How Much Can Household Save Energy? Researchers identifying
more than 100 separate conservation and energy efficiency measures
(all cost-effective) that could be taken in a short period of time
(Laitner and Martinez, 2009). Based on a Monte Carto probability
simulation, an energy saving potential on the order of about 9
Quads (9% of US energy use) compared to current use.
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Carbon Emission and Behavioral Change 1-14
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Social Psychological Factors and Energy Behaviors Why should
you care? Factors Influencing Electricity Savings Decision-making
Models Evidence of Energy and Behaviors Demand response, incentives
and behavioral changes Factors Influencing Public Acceptance of
Smart Meters Intervention (Norms, Goal- setting, Framing)
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Traditional Economic and Engineering Models Typical responses
to energy crisis: Find new energy resources Develop technology
engineers job Provide financial incentives for people to reduce
consumption, to adopt more efficient technologies Assumption of
rationality People are instrumental and self- interested,
consistent, cost-benefit based.
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Without DeliberationWith Deliberation In-output model Behaviors
controlled by environment Emphasize human agency Mindful or
cognitive process Not Empathizing: Internal judgments Cognitive
process Interpersonal relationships (Asch, 1951, Sherif, 1935)
Empathizing: Attitudes Perceptions Motivations Actors are mindless
robots Actors are mindful Assumptions of Human Behaviors
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Decision-Making Models Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986)
Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) Norm Activation Model
(Schwartz, 1977) Social Norm Approach (Claidini,1994 and others)
Prospect Theory (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979) To identify factors
or in targeting behavioral change (intervention)
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Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986) Human agency involves
deliberative ability to make choices & regulate behavior A
triadic, dynamic, & reciprocal interaction. Behavior Personal
Factors (cognitive, affective, & biological events)
Environmental Factors (norms)
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Theory of Planned Behavior (Icek Ajzen, 1991)
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Norm Activation Model (Schwartz, 1977) Awareness of
consequences Ascription of responsibility Personal Norms Pro-social
or environmental behaviors
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Social Psychological Factors and Energy Behaviors Why should
you care? Factors Influencing Electricity Savings Decision-making
Models Evidence of Energy and Behaviors Demand response, incentives
and behavioral changes Factors Influencing Public Acceptance of
Smart Meters Intervention (Norms, Goal- setting, Framing)
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Social-psychological Factors influencing Energy Conservation in
China Investigated how social norms, behavioral control, attitudes,
energy concern, perceived consequences influence energy saving
intention and behavior Sampled 584 employees from electricity
companies in Jiangsu Province, China Based on the Theory of Planned
Behavior and the Norm Activation Model.
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Factors Predicting Energy Conservation Behaviors
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Results of Social-Psychological Factors Affecting Electricity
Saving Behaviors (241 UTK students ) Barriers to save electricity
(-0.26) ** Support of renewable (0.30) * Social rewards (0.03)
Personal norms (0.34)* Energy concern (0.33) ** Global warming
consequences (0.19)* Global warming consequences (0.19)* Economic
benefits (0.09) Electricity Saving Behaviors * P
