Norm proximity and optimal social comparisons for energy conservation behavior

Abstract

Bottom-up solutions targeting individual energy conservation behaviors can play an important role in mitigating climate change and other environmental problems. Information interventions using social comparisons have proven generally effective at improving conservation behaviors, yet are largely suboptimal and sometimes fail when not adequately designed for their specific context. Environmental managers and policy makers need guidance on behavioral intervention design to maximize effectiveness. This article reports the results of a randomized control trial field experiment that used social comparisons to influence individual electricity conservation behaviors in a unique experimental setting with homogeneous residential units and no economic incentive for subjects to conserve. Two treatment groups receiving information feedback with different social comparison reference points exhibited an average treatment effect of 6 % relative to a control group that did not receive feedback. Moreover, treated subjects whose baseline behavior was more proximate to their relevant comparison group norm exhibited stronger response to the treatment (greater than 10 %) than treated subjects whose baseline behavior was more distant from the relevant norm. These results demonstrate that individuals may be more responsive to social norms when provided with a relevant norm that is more proximate to their baseline behavior. Our findings have important practical implications for optimal design and implementation of behavioral interventions to improve environmental management and achieve energy policy goals.