Abstract
The persuasive potential for varying messenger types and feedback frames to increase pro-environmental choice was explored in a 2 (feedback frame: financial vs. environmental) × 5 (messenger type: neighbour, government, industry, utilities vs. control) factorial design experiment. Using the context of home heating choice, 493 non-student participants were given information on either the financial or environmental benefits of selecting an energy-efficient heat pump versus a standard boiler, as described by one of four messenger types (versus a no-messenger control). Likelihood of selecting the ‘green’ technology was assessed, as well as any carry-over effects on real-life behavioural intentions. Additionally, we assessed the messenger attributes that appeared to be most important in this context, in terms of whether sources that were perceived to be trustworthy, knowledgeable, or a combination of both dimensions, would hold greater sway over preference formation. Overall, no evidence was found for any impact of messenger type on either preference formation or behavioural intentions. However, message content (i.e. how information on the benefits of pro-environmental choice was framed), was found to have substantial impact on behaviour; with the financial versus environmental decision frame being significantly more likely to encourage uptake of the energy-efficient versus standard technology. We suggest that the level of processing required for the kinds of large-scale purchase decisions we consider here may explain the lack of any messenger effect on choice behaviour. Implications for the development of behaviour change interventions designed to promote consideration of energy-efficient technologies in this context are discussed.
Highlights
Reducing the emission of greenhouses gases is one of the major environmental challenges faced by society, and a critical component of this involves developing strategies to reduce energy consumption in the domestic built environment
In addition to exploring whether variations in messenger type might prove useful in the development of behaviour change interventions in the context of new technology adoption, we aimed to explore the impact of variations in message content, in terms of how the benefits of the desired action are framed within the initial choice scenario
A 2 × 5 analysis of variance (ANOVA) on heating system preference revealed no main effect of messenger condition on heating system preference (0 – prefer boiler vs. 1 prefer heat pump): F(4483) = .47, p = .76, η2 =
Summary
Reducing the emission of greenhouses gases is one of the major environmental challenges faced by society, and a critical component of this involves developing strategies to reduce energy consumption in the domestic built environment. Current Government objectives expect emissions from homes to fall by over a third of 2011 levels by 2022 (Committee on Climate Change 2011a, b). As early as 2008, the International Energy Agency (IEA) concluded that Ba huge step-change in the attitudes to energy efficiency and consumer purchases by hundreds of millions of people worldwide^ is needed It is imperative that we develop strategies to encourage the retrofit of technologies designed to reduce thermal energy demand if we are to achieve government decarbonisation objectives (Committee on Climate Change 2011a, b)
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