One for all? – The impact of different types of energy feedback and goal setting on individuals’ motivation to conserve electricity

We investigate how different types of energy feedback, combined with goal setting, impact on consumers' motivation to conserve electricity. Using an online survey, we test the influence of energy feedback in physical units (kWh), monetary values (EUR) and environmental values (avoided CO₂ emissions). We asked participants to set themselves either a high, low or no energy conservation goal. In addition, we assess the respondents’ value types - hedonic, egoistic, altruistic and biospheric – to test predictions derived from goal framing theory. In general, individuals scoring high on biospheric values were more motivated to conserve electricity and their motivation did not increase in response to setting an energy conservation goal. Individuals with egoistic values seem less willing to reduce their electricity consumption, unless in the monetary feedback or high goal conditions. A high conservation goal was only found to be effective in combination with monetary feedback: it increased the motivation to save electricity by 6.7 percentage points in comparison to the low goal condition and 6.6 percentage points in comparison to the control condition.