Can social information programs be more effective? The role of environmental identity for energy conservation

Jacopo Bonan, Cristina Cattaneo, d’Adda, Giovanna and Massimo Tavoni
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Giovanna d'Adda

Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 2021, vol. 108, issue C

Abstract: Social information programs are widely used to nudge behavioural change. Their effectiveness strongly depends on household and individual traits. The existing evidence in economics and psychology points to the role of environmental values and identity in determining pro-environmental behavior and the impact of social information. In a large field experiment on household energy conservation, we combine electricity metering and survey data to test whether the impact of a social information program can be strengthened by leveraging environmental values and identity. We experimentally augment social information messages with an environmental self-identity prime. The self-identity prime does not strengthen the effectiveness of a social information program on average. Nonetheless, we find suggestive evidence that priming environmental self-identity can be effective if targeted to specific sub-groups.

Keywords: Energy consumption; Environmental identity; Social norms; RCT (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D91 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:108:y:2021:i:c:s0095069621000504

DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2021.102467

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