How do parents and children promote each other? The impact of intergenerational learning on willingness to save energy

Abstract

The research to cope with energy shortages and mitigate climate change has mainly focused on industry, technology, and adults, and has neglected a very important stakeholder group: children. They are beneficiaries of current energy saving initiatives and the implementers of future energy policies. New research shows that children can also provide breakthroughs in improving the entrenched thinking of adult parents. In order to clarify the interplay between parents' and children's willingness to save energy, a large-scale survey was conducted in Jiangsu Province, China (N = 3012) from a two-way intergenerational learning perspective. The results show that: (1) Parents → Children: The family parenting style significantly predicts children's willingness to save energy, with moral identity and moral disengagement playing a mediating role. (2) Children → Parents: Girls in families with permissive and open parenting styles have a significant effect on their parents' willingness to save energy. Additionally, children over the age of 18 years appear to be effective in influencing parents' willingness to invest in energy efficient products. Our research confirmed the effectiveness of family relationships in promoting two-way parents-children energy saving. Finally, we propose suggestions for promoting an increased willingness to save energy by everyone from the government, school, and family levels.