Moral licensing and habits: Do solar households make negligent choices?

Abstract

Orienting household behaviors towards more efficient use of energy in the home is crucial to climate change mitigation efforts. The objective of this work is to examine the social-psychological antecedents of energy curtailment in solar households. Using an online survey (n = 257) of solar households in Australia, the study validates an augmented model of planned behavior using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The study shows that the path of a standard construct, from perceived behavioral control to intentions, is interrupted by moral licensing, a concept that has been largely ignored in studies applying the standard model of planned behavior. The study provides fresh insight into how consumers vindicate wasteful energy consumption behavior through moral licensing. Amongst its contributions, the study shows that social influence is the most important driver of intentions and behavior. The habitualised use of energy has a significant, negative effect on behavior. This work has several recommendations for retailers and policy makers in global energy markets on how to minimise licensing and negligent habits, and at the same time, it opens up new research avenues in the ethical consumption discourse.