Nudging when the descriptive norm is low: Evidence from a carbon offsetting field experiment

Stefano Carattini and Julia Blasch

Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), 2024, vol. 110, issue C

Abstract: Social interventions are a popular tool to stimulate pro-social (including climate-friendly) behavior. Their use is, however, limited when the descriptive norm is low, i.e. when a desirable behavior is only practiced by a minority within the respective reference group. We tackle this issue by testing new strategies for social interventions, with an especially sophisticated target group. We implement a field experiment at two subsequent conferences in environmental economics, with which we examine the conference participants’ proclivity to offset carbon emissions. For the two treatment conditions that we introduce, we document an average null effect. Yet, for one condition, we find that the intervention can be effective when the targeted individuals feel socially close to the referenced peer group. Further, we find suggestive evidence that the effectiveness of such interventions increases as individuals are exposed to repeated treatment, but with decreasing marginal returns.

Keywords: Carbon offsets; Social norms; Social identity; Nudge; Field experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A11 C93 D12 D91 H23 H41 Q54 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Working Paper: Nudging when the descriptive norm is low: Evidence from a carbon offsetting field experiment (2024)
Working Paper: Nudging When the Descriptive Norm Is Low: Evidence from a Carbon Offsetting Field Experiment (2020)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:soceco:v:110:y:2024:i:c:s221480432400034x

DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2024.102194

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