Competition and norms: A self-defeating combination?

Genevieve Alberts, Zeynep Gürgüç, Pantelis Koutroumpis, Ralf Martin, Mirabelle Muûls () and Tamaryn Napp

Energy Policy, 2016, vol. 96, issue C, 504-523

Abstract: This paper investigates the effects of information feedback mechanisms on electricity and heating usage at a student hall of residence in London. In a randomised control trial, we formulate different treatments such as feedback information and norms, as well as prize competition among subjects. We show that information and norms lead to a sharp – more than 20% - reduction in overall energy consumption. Because participants do not pay for their energy consumption this response cannot be driven by cost saving incentives. Interestingly, when combining feedback and norms with a prize competition for achieving low energy consumption, the reduction effect – while present initially – disappears in the long run. This could suggest that external rewards reduce and even destroy intrinsic motivation to change behaviour.

Keywords: Behavioural intervention; Household energy demand; Randomised controlled trial; Information; Norms; Competition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:enepol:v:96:y:2016:i:c:p:504-523

DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2016.06.001

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