TY - JOUR
T1 - Making Small Numbers Count
T2 - Environmental and Financial Feedback in Promoting Eco-driving Behaviours
AU - Dogan, Ebru
AU - Bolderdijk, Jan Willem
AU - Steg, Linda
PY - 2014/9
Y1 - 2014/9
N2 - Energy conservation results in environmental (reduced emissions) and financial (reduced costs) savings. Consumers’ perception of the worthiness of changes in behaviour may differ depending on whether environmental or financial savings are emphasized. The current study investigated the effects of using either environmental or financial feedback in the context of eco-driving. Participants evaluated six scenarios describing different eco-driving behaviours. Participants in experimental groups were informed about either the environmental or financial savings realized by adopting the behaviours. A control group did not receive information on possible savings. Results indicated that, unlike commonly assumed, environmental savings are considered more worthwhile than commensurate financial savings. Yet, intentions to adopt eco-driving behaviours were mainly sensitive to the presence of feedback per se, rather than the content of feedback. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.
AB - Energy conservation results in environmental (reduced emissions) and financial (reduced costs) savings. Consumers’ perception of the worthiness of changes in behaviour may differ depending on whether environmental or financial savings are emphasized. The current study investigated the effects of using either environmental or financial feedback in the context of eco-driving. Participants evaluated six scenarios describing different eco-driving behaviours. Participants in experimental groups were informed about either the environmental or financial savings realized by adopting the behaviours. A control group did not receive information on possible savings. Results indicated that, unlike commonly assumed, environmental savings are considered more worthwhile than commensurate financial savings. Yet, intentions to adopt eco-driving behaviours were mainly sensitive to the presence of feedback per se, rather than the content of feedback. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.
KW - Eco-driving
KW - Effort
KW - Feedback framing
KW - Worthwhile
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84956801231&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10603-014-9259-z
DO - 10.1007/s10603-014-9259-z
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84956801231
VL - 37
SP - 413
EP - 422
JO - Journal of Consumer Policy
JF - Journal of Consumer Policy
SN - 1573-0700
IS - 3
ER -