Energy Conservation Behavior: The Difficult Path from Information to Action

Articles
Costanzo, M., Archer, D., Aronson, E., & Pettigrew, T. (1986). Energy conservation behavior: The difficult path from information to action. American Psychologist, 41, 5, 521-528.
Presents a social-psychological model of energy-use behavior that draws on behavioral and social research to explain influence processes and behavioral change related to energy co…

Assessing Communication Effects on Energy Conservation

Articles
Craig, C. S. & McCann, J. M. (1978). Assessing communication effects on energy conservation. Journal of Consumer Research, 5, 82-88.
This article presents the results of a field experiment on alternative ways of prompting energy conservation behavior. The source of the communication was found to influence the …

Communication and the Adoption of Energy Conservation Measures by the Elderly

Articles
Griffin, R. J. (1989). Communication and the adoption of energy conservation measures by the elderly. Journal of Environmental Education, 20, 4, 19-28.
Examined the relationship of communication to adoption of energy conservation behavior among homeowners in a community. 813 homeowners participating in the 5-yr study were divided…

Using Social Cognition and Persuasion to Promote Energy Conservation: A Quasi-Experiment

Articles
Gonzales, M. H., Aronson, E., & Costanzo, M. A. (1988). Using social cognition and persuasion to promote energy conservation: A quasi-experiment. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 18, 12 (Pt 2), 1049-1066.
Examined whether the effectiveness of a residential conservation service home energy audit program could be improved by training auditors to use social-psychological principles du…

Folk Quantification of Energy

Articles
Kempton, W., & Montgomery, L. (1982). Folk quantification of energy. Energy, 7, 10, 817-827.
Consumers use simplified measurements as a basis for residential energy decisions. We analyze their measurements of monthly consumption, changes through time, comparison of appl…

Comparing the Effects of Monetary Incentives and Foot-in-the-Door Strategies in Promoting Residential Electricity Conservation

Articles
Katzev, R. D., & Johnson, T. R. (1984). Comparing the effects of monetary incentives and foot-in-the-door strategies in promoting residential electricity conservation. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 14, 1, 12-27.
Investigated the relative effectiveness of incentive (monetary) and minimal justification (foot-in-the-door) techniques in promoting electrical energy conservation among 90 homeow…

A Social-Psychological Analysis of Residential Electricity Consumption: The Impact of Minimal Justification Techniques

Articles
Katzev, R. D., & Johnson, T. R. (1983). A social-psychological analysis of residential electricity consumption: The impact of minimal justification techniques. Journal of Economic Psychology, 3, 3-4, 267-284.
Explored the impact of the foot-in-the-door technique on residential energy conservation. 66 homeowners were asked to curtail their consumption of electricity by 10%. In the foot-…

Promoting Energy Conservation in University Dormitories by Physical, Policy and Resident Behavior Changes

Articles
McClelland, L. & Belsten, L. (1979). Promoting energy conservation in university dormitories by physical, policy and resident behavior changes. Journal of Environmental Systems, 9, 1, 29-38.
Two successive energy conservation programs were implemented in four University of Colorado dormitories. Program I included persuasive communications, information, feedback, and …

Behavioral Interventions in Resource Conservation: A System Approach Based on Behavioral Economics

Articles
Winkler, R. C., & Winett, R. A. (1982). Behavioral interventions in resource conservation: A system approach based on behavioral economics. American Psychologist, 37, 4, 421-435.
Outlines some of the advantages of an integration of psychological (social-learning) and economic conceptualizations when developing behavioral interventions in resource conservat…

Effects of Television Modeling on Residential Energy Conservation

Articles
Winett, R. A., Leckliter, I. N., Chinn, D. E., Stahl, B., & Love, S. Q. (1985). Effects of television modeling on residential energy conservation. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18, 1, 33-44.
A combination of social marketing, communication, social learning (particularly modeling), and behavior analysis may provide an effective framework for behavior change via films a…

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