Relating Attitudes to Residential Energy Use
Becker, L. J., Seligman, C., Fazio, R. H., & Darley, J. M. (1981). Relating attitudes to residential energy use. Environment and Behavior, 13, 5, 590-609.
During the winter, 207 homeowning couples completed questionnaires about their energy-related attitudes. Results confirm those of prior studies: thermal comfort is the most important determinant of household energy use. It is more important than (a) belief in the reality of the energy crisis and (b) the state of family finances. An analysis of the responses of a 55-couple subsample who had completed attitude questionnaires in both the winter and summer showed that there was some consistency in the attitudinal factors over seasons, and that there was a significant positive correlation between summer and winter energy consumption. (15 ref)
