Ellen van der Werff

The Significance of Hedonic Values for Environmentally Relevant Attitudes, Preferences, and Actions:

This article aimed to demonstrate that hedonic values are important for understanding environmentally relevant beliefs, preferences, and actions, next to egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric values. In four studies, the authors found consistent support for their hypothesis that hedonic, egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric values can be distinguished empirically, suggesting that the distinction between the four types of values is not only theoretically meaningful but also recognized by individuals. Importantly, in line with the authors’ expectations, hedonic values appeared to be significantly and negatively related to a range of environmentally relevant attitudes, preferences, and behaviors, even when the other values were controlled for. This suggests that it is indeed important to include hedonic values in environmental studies and that interventions aimed to promote proenvironmental actions should consider hedonic consequences of actions, as these may be important barriers for behavior change.

I Am What I Am, by Looking Past the Present: The Influence of Biospheric Values and Past Behavior on Environmental Self-Identity

A strong environmental self-identity increases the likelihood of a wide range of proenvironmental actions. But which factors influence identity and can we strengthen it? We propose that the environmental self-identity depends on biospheric values and on past behavior and that the strength of one’s environmental self-identity can be changed somewhat by reminding people of their past environmental behavior. We tested our model in a series of studies and show that biospheric values and past environmental behavior influence the environmental self-identity, which is in turn related to subsequent environmental judgments and intentions. Furthermore, we found that although the strength of the environmental self-identity changed when we reminded people of their past environmental actions, biospheric values remained an important predictor of self-identity, suggesting that the environmental self-identity has a stable core. Our results further suggest that environmental-friendly behavior can be promoted by reminding people of their past proenvironmental actions as this will strengthen one’s environmental self-identity.

Understanding the human dimensions of a sustainable energy transition

Global climate change threatens the health, economic prospects, and basic food and water sources of people. A wide range of changes in household energy behavior is needed to realize a sustainable energy transition. We propose a general framework to understand and encourage sustainable energy behaviors, comprising four key issues. First, we need to identify which behaviors need to be changed. A sustainable energy transition involves changes in a wide range of energy behaviors, including the adoption of sustainable energy sources and energy-efficient technology, investments in energy efficiency measures in buildings, and changes in direct and indirect energy use behavior. Second, we need to understand which factors underlie these different types of sustainable energy behaviors. We discuss three main factors that influence sustainable energy behaviors: knowledge, motivations, and contextual factors. Third, we need to test the effects of interventions aimed to promote sustainable energy behaviors. Interventions can be aimed at changing the actual costs and benefits of behavior, or at changing people’s perceptions and evaluations of different costs and benefits of behavioral options. Fourth, it is important to understand which factors affect the acceptability of energy policies and energy systems changes. We discuss important findings from psychological studies on these four topics, and propose a research agenda to further explore these topics. We emphasize the need of an integrated approach in studying the human dimensions of a sustainable energy transition that increases our understanding of which general factors affect a wide range of energy behaviors as well as the acceptability of different energy policies and energy system changes.

Changing Household Energy Usage: The Downsides of Incentives and How to Overcome Them

To combat climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) calculated that greenhouse gas emissions in the energy domain should be reduced by 90%, compared to 2010 emissions, between the years 2040 and 2070. In Europe, residential households consume about a quarter of total energy used (excluding the energy that is embodied in products). To contribute to the carbon emission reduction targets set by the IPCC , households need to reduce their fossilenergy use.

Current developments in environmental psychology: topics and researchers / Desarrollos actuales en psicología ambiental: temas e investigadores

Abstract The aim of this special issue is to bring the work of early-career researchers in environmental psychology to the spotlight. These young researchers come from different countries and cultures, have their own theoretical approaches and employ different research methods to increase knowledge on the relationships between humans and their environments. The papers included in this special issue address key questions for environmental psychology, such as which important factors influence (pro-environmental) behaviour and under which conditions, how these key factors can be addressed in interventions aimed at increasing environmental quality and individual well-being, and under which conditions such interventions are effective or may even backfire. The selected papers represent a variety of (new) methods to address these questions. By presenting this work of early-career researchers, this special issue is expected to inspire and encourage future innovative and diverse contributions to the field of environmental psychology.

Transition to smart grids: A psychological perspective

A transition to smart grids requires a wide range of changes in household energy behaviour. In this chapter we discuss four key issues important for understanding and promoting behaviour in smart grids. First, we need to identify which behaviour needs to be changed. A transition to smart grids involves changes in a wide range of energy behaviours, including the adoption of sustainable energy resources, energy-efficient technologies, and automated control technology; investments in energy efficiency measures in buildings such as insulation; and user behaviour. Second, we need to know which factors influence behaviour in smart grids. We discuss the role of motivations and contextual factors. Third, it is important to test effects of interventions aimed to promote smart energy behaviours. Interventions can be aimed at changing the actual costs and benefits of behaviour, or at changing people’s perceptions and evaluations of different costs and benefits of behavioural options. Fourth, we need to understand which factors influence the acceptability of energy policies and energy systems changes aimed to promote smart grids. In this chapter we address important findings from psychological studies on these topics.

Understanding residential sustainable energy behaviour and policy preferences

Energy production and use account for two-thirds of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions (IEA, 2015), thereby contributing to global climate change (IPCC, 2014). Besides environmental problems, energy production and use pose societal challenges, including energy poverty and geopolitics of energy that threaten global security and prosperity. The Paris Agreement marks a historic event when countries worldwide committed to combat climate change. To achieve these ambitious targets, countries will have to shift towards more sustainable ways of producing and using energy (EC, 2016a). The residential sector accounts for about 20 to 25 per cent of the total energy consumption in European Union (EU) countries (Eurostat, 2014a) and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries (IEA, 2015). If households used cleaner energy and engaged in more sustainable energy behaviours, this could significantly contribute to combating climate change (Nature Energy, 2016; Stern et al., 2016a). But which factors influence whether individuals and households act sustainably and whether they accept sustainable solutions, such as renewable energy projects? Social sciences have an important role to play in answering these questions (Clayton et al., 2015; Hackmann, Moser and Clair, 2014; Sovacool, 2014; Stern, Sovacool and Dietz, 2016b; Weaver et al., 2014). In this chapter, we take the Integrated Framework for Encouraging Pro-Environmental Behaviour (IFEP; Steg et al., 2014a) as a starting point for understanding and encouraging sustainable energy behaviour and acceptability of sustainable energy projects. More specifically, we argue that peoples values influence the likelihood that people will engage in many different sustainable energy behaviours as well as influencing public acceptability of sustainable energy projects. In addition, the IFEP proposes that contextual factors affect the likelihood that people consider environmental consequences of their choices. We review cutting edge psychological literature on factors influencing sustainable energy behaviour and the acceptability of sustainable energy projects from the view of this framework. Notably, sustainable energy projects often introduce new technology and/or require behavioural change, so similar factors are likely to influence sustainable energy behaviours and acceptability of sustainable energy projects. Next, we discuss intervention strategies aimed at promoting sustainable energy behaviour and acceptability of sustainable energy projects.