Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T05:13:45.064Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Intrinsic Changes: Energy Saving Behaviour Among Resident University Students

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 June 2015

Rosemary Black*
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University
Penny Davidson
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University
Karen Retra
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University
*
Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia. Email: [email protected]

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a study that explored the effectiveness of three intervention strategies in facilitating energy saving behaviour among resident undergraduate university students. In contrast to a dominant practice of motivating with rewards or competition this study sought to appeal to students' intrinsic motivations. An experimental design was used with two intervention groups and a control group. The interventions were the provision of real-time feedback provided by an inhouse energy consumption display unit (ecoMeter) and a targeted social marketing approach. They were evaluated using energy consumption data and self-report data from the participants via an on-line survey and focus groups. Across the three research phases the rate of reduced electricity consumption for the interventions ranged from an average of 17% to 28% less than the control group. The findings provide evidence that facilitation of intrinsically motivated behaviours can result in reduced energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Type
Feature Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abrahamse, W., Steg, L., Vlek, C., & Rothengatter, T. (2005). A review of intervention studies aimed as household energy conservation. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 25, 273291.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ABS (2008). Environmental issues: Energy use and conservation. Retrieved April 6, 2010 from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/Latestproducts/ABE0ADEDF19489E9CA25750E00108E4B?opendocument Google Scholar
Altman, J. A., & Petkus, E. (1994). Toward a stakeholder-based policy process: An application of the social marketing perspective to environmental policy development. Policy Sciences, 27, 3751.Google Scholar
Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) (2007). Consuming Australia: Main findings. Retrieved April 6, 2010 from http://www.acfonline.org.au/uploads/res/res_atlas_main_findings.pdf Google Scholar
Black, R., Davidson, P., & Retra, K. (2009). Facilitating energy saving behaviours among university student residents. Report No 53. Albury, NSW: Institute of Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University.Google Scholar
Brandon, G., & Lewis, A. (1999). Reducing Household Energy Consumption: A Qualitative and Quantitative Field Study. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 19, 7585.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burton, L., Weston, D., & Kowalski, R. (2006). Psychology. Milton, QLD: Wiley.Google Scholar
Butler, D. L., & Winne, P. H. (1995). Feedback and self-regulated learning: A theoretical synthesis. Review of Educational Research, 65(3), 245281.Google Scholar
Charles Sturt University (CSU) (nd) Institutional Development Plan 2007-2011. Retrieved November 3, 2009 from http://www.csu.edu.au/division/plandev/strategicplanning/docs/universitystrategyinstdevplan.pdf Google Scholar
Corraliza, J. A., & Berenguer, J. (2000). Environmental values, beliefs and actions: A situational approach. Environment and Behavior, 32, 832848.Google Scholar
Crotty, M. (1998). The foundations of social research: meaning and perspective in the research process. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin Google Scholar
Darby, S. (2000). Making it obvious: Designing feedback into energy consumption. Proceedings 2nd International Conference on Energy Efficiency in Household Appliances and Lighting. Italian Association of Energy Economists/EC-SAVE programme.Google Scholar
Darby, S. (2006). The effectiveness of feedback on energy consumption:A review for Defra of the literature on metering, billing and direct displays. Oxford: Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford.Google Scholar
Darby, S. (2008). Why, what, when, how, where and who? Developing UK policy on metering, billing and energy display devices. Proceedings of ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. Retrieved April 6, 2010 from http://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/research/energy/downloads/darby08-aceee.pdf Google Scholar
DEC (2007). Who cares about the environment in 2006. Sydney: Department of Environment and Conservation.Google Scholar
DECCW (2010). Who cares about the environment in 2009. Sydney: Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW.Google Scholar
DeLeon, I. G., & Fuqua, R. W. (1995). The effects of public commitment and group feedback on curbside recycling. Environment and Behavior, 27(2), 233250.Google Scholar
Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (2010). National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) Factors. Barton ACT: Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.Google Scholar
DEWHA (2008). Energy Use in the Australian Residential Sector 1986-2020. Canberra: Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.Google Scholar
De Young, R. (1993). Changing behaviour and making it stick. The conceptualization and management of conservation behaviour. Journal of Social Issues, 56, 509526.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dietz, T., Gardner, G. T., Gilligan, J., Stern, P. C., & Vandenbergh, M. P. (2009). Household actions can provide a behavioral wedge to rapidly reduce US carbon emissions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106(44). Retrieved November 19, 2010 from: http://www.pnas.org/content/106/44/18452.full Google Scholar
Dwyer, W. O., Leeming, F. C., Cobern, M. K., Porter, B. E., & Jackson, J. M. (1993). Critical review of behavioural intentions to preserve the environment: Research since 1980. Environment and Behavior, 25, 275321.Google Scholar
Fazio, J. R. & Gilbert, D. L. (1986). Public relations and communications for natural resource managers. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co.Google Scholar
Fien, J., Yencken, D. & Skyes, H. (2002). Young people and the environment: A cross cultural study. Netherland: Kluwer Academic Publishers.Google Scholar
Gardner, G. T., & Stern, P. C. (1996). Environmental Problems and Human Behavior. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.Google Scholar
Guangnano, G. A., Stern, P. C., & Dietz, T. (1995). Influences on attitude-behavior relationships: A natural experiment with curb-side recycling. Environment and Behavior, 27, 699718.Google Scholar
Ham, S. H. (1992). Environmental interpretation: A practical guide for people with big ideas and small budgets. Golden, CO: Fulcrum Publishing.Google Scholar
Jacobson, S. K. (1999). Communication skills for conservation professionals. Washington, DC: Island Press.Google Scholar
Kaiser, F. G., & Gutscher, H. (2003). The proposition of a general version of the theory of planned behavior: Predicting ecological behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 33(3), 586603.Google Scholar
Katzev, R., & Mishima, H. R. (1992). The use of posted feedback to prompt recycling. Psychological Reports, 71, 259264.Google Scholar
Kempton, W., Boster, J.S., & Hartley, J.A. (1995). Environmental Values in American Culture. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.Google Scholar
Kim, S., Oah, S., & Dickinson, A. M. (2005). The impact of public feedback on three recycling-related behaviours in South Korea. Environment and Behavior, 37, 258274.Google Scholar
Kohn, A. (1993). Punished by rewards. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.Google Scholar
Kotler, P., & Lee, N. R. (2008). Social marketing: Influencing behaviors for good. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Maibach, E. (1993). Social marketing for the environment: Using information campaigns to promote environmental awareness and behaviour change. Health Promotion International, 8(3), 86101.Google Scholar
McKenzie-Mohr, D., & Smith, W. (1999). Fostering sustainable behaviour: An introduction to community-based social marketing. Gabriola Island B.C.: New Society Publishers.Google Scholar
McKenzie-Mohr., D. (2000). Promoting sustainable behaviour: An introduction to community-based social marketing. Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 543554.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McMakin, A.H., Malone, E. L., & Lundgren, R.E. (2002). Motivating residents to conserve energy without financial incentives. Environment and Behavior, 34(6), 848863.Google Scholar
Miles, M.B., & Huberman, A.M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Newman, L. (2005). Uncertainty, innovation and dynamic sustainable development. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, Fall 1(2), 2531.Google Scholar
Nordlund, A. M., & Garvill, J. (2002). Value structures behind pro-environmental behavior. Environment and Behavior, 34(6), 740756.Google Scholar
Petersen, J. E., Shunturov, V., Janda, K., Gavin, P., & Weinberger, K. (2007). Dormitory residents reduce electricity consumption when exposed to real-time visual feedback and incentives. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 8(1), 1633.Google Scholar
Ragnarsson, R. S., & Bjorgvinsson, T. (1991). Effects of public posting on driving speed in Icelandic traffic. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 5358.Google Scholar
Rickinson, M., Lundholm, C., & Hopwood, N. (2009). Environmental learning: Insights from research into the student experience. London: Springer.Google Scholar
Sauvé, L., & Berryman, T. (2003). Researchers and research in environmental education: A critical review essay on Mark Rickinson's report on learners and learning. Environmental Education Research, 9(2), 167180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schnelle, J. F., McNees, M. P., Thomas, M. M., Gendrich, J. G., & Beagle, G. P. (1980). Prompting behavior change in the community: Use of mass media techniques. Environment and Behavior, 12, 157166.Google Scholar
Shipworth, M. (2000). Motivating home energy action – A handbook of what works. Retrieved December 9, 2010 from http://www.environment.gov.au/archive/settlements/local/publications/pubs/motivating.pdf Google Scholar
Stern, P. C. (2000). Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behaviour. Journal of Social Issues, 56, 407424.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uzzell, D. (2008). Challenging assumptions in the psychology of climate change. InPsych, 08. Retrieved November 19, 2010 from: http://www.psychology.org.au/inpsych/challenging_assumptions Google Scholar
Van Houten, R., Nau, P. A., & Marini, Z. (1980). An analysis of public posting in reducing speeding behavior on an urban highway. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 13, 383395.Google Scholar
Van Houwelingen, J. H., & Van Raaij, W. F. (1989). The effect of goal setting and daily electronic feedback on in-house energy use. Journal of Consumer Behavior, 16, 98105.Google Scholar
Wray-Lake, L., Flanagan, C., & Osgood, D. (2010). Examining trends in adolescent environmental attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours across three decades. Environment and Behavior, 42(1), 6185.Google Scholar