Cognitive models of energy saving
Year: 2012
Type: dissertation
Abstract: A number of studies have explored the role of psychological factors in the production of energy saving and pro-environmental behaviors. The theory of planned behavior, the norm activation model, and the new environmental paradigm provided the theoretical model to the majority of the studies in the field. Other isolated psychological factors that were connected with the production of pro-environmental behavior were the exposition to social norms, pre-existing environmental values and motivations, the emotional involvement, the locus of control, and environmental knowledge and awareness. Yet, some pro-environmental decisions are converted in actual behaviors, while others are not. In fact some pro-environmental behaviors require an adequate infrastructure. As well, the influence of personal norms depends on situational cues. The gap between intention and behavior is mediated by the temporal stability of the intentions, the perceived behavioral control, and the formation of implementation intentions. Two recent studies have shown how executive functions mediate the decision-behavior gap for physical activity and dietary behaviors. We hypothesized that when the saving behaviors stress the underlying cognitive processes then the cognitive efficiency (especially the efficiency of the functions involved in action control) mediates the production of energy saving behaviors. To test this hypothesis we conducted three experiments. In the first we examined the relation between of working memory, speed of processing, and sustained attention with the self-reported production of energy saving behavior. Results suggested that the efficiency of the aforementioned functions predicts the production of energy saving behaviors that imply a cognitive effort to be implemented in daily routines. In the second experiment we examined the role of working memory, speed of processing and sustained attention on the production of a directly observed saving behavior, turning off the light when leaving the laboratory. In this case, the relationship was not significant, possibly because some participants refrain form the production of the saving behavior because they did not felt authorized to interact with the laboratory equipment. In the third experiment we “authorized” the participants to handle the laboratory’s devices asking to turn them on at the beginning of the experimental session. Then, trough a dual task paradigm we examined the role of central executive load on the production of energy saving behaviors. Result showed that the central executive load (i.e., through random number generation) decreases the production of the saving behaviors that are not connected with an evident environmental cue. Feedback is commonly used in psychological studies aimed to reduce energy consumption. Feedback acts as a self-teaching tool that allows users to learn from their experience and the consequences of their behaviors. Previous studies showed that feedback resulted to be more effective when is immediate, conveys few information, and is supported by a goal. In the BeAware project we developed an application (i.e., EnergyLife) aimed to reduce energy consumption through an mobile-based feedback. EnergyLife included a community level to provide a climax of cooperative competition and a social goal, to maximize the effect of the feedback. The feedback provided by EnergyLife was next to-real time. Moreover, persuasive advice tips (generic and smart/context-aware) were provided to the users. The effectiveness of EnergyLife was evaluated in a trial involving 5 households and 14 users. The analysis on energy consumption trend showed a significant decrease in energy consumption for all the families in the trial. Overall, the household show a significantly progressive reduction of the consumptions respect to the previous year. Moreover, when a user read a smart advice the consumption of the specific appliance decreased. Overall, results suggest that our understanding of energy conservation behaviors might be improved by considering the influence of cognitive mechanisms underlying their execution. An application designed according the above mentioned principles seem successful in the reduction of energy consumption
Author: Nicolà Corradi
Language: English
Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W84655355