Factors Affecting the Adoption of Home Heating Energy Conservation Measures: A Behavioral Approach
Macey, Susan Michele
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/70638
Description
Title
Factors Affecting the Adoption of Home Heating Energy Conservation Measures: A Behavioral Approach
Author(s)
Macey, Susan Michele
Issue Date
1982
Department of Study
Geography
Discipline
Geography
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Geography
Abstract
The basic aim of this research is to better understand homeowners' adoption of home heating energy conservation measures by analysing a number of factors that are thought to be underlying determinants of adoption behavior. The basic approach is behavioral drawing on the knowledge built up in behavioral geography through studies on natural hazards and innovation diffusion, and borrowing from psychological theories of attitude formation and decision making. In particular, six factors (information, environmental personality, socio-economic and demographic factors, dwelling unit characteristics, psychological variables, and past experience) are shown to directly and indirectly affect adoption behavior. By this means, differences between adopters and nonadopters in the underlying cognitive structures and in the situational factors that affect their decisions are identified.
The study focuses on the adoption of three measures, reducing winter night-time thermostat settings, changing or cleaning furnace filters, and installing an automatic setback thermostat. Personal interviews with a random sample of 159 homeowners in Decatur, Illinois serve as the main data base.
Results indicate that adoption behavior is determined more by past experience, than by intention. Beliefs, attitudes and social influences affect behavior indirectly through intention. These psychological variables also act as mediators between information, knowledge, environmental personality, situational variables and behavior. In particular, respondent's age, previous home ownership, and length of residence act indirectly on adoption behavior. Each of these reflects the amount of past experience the respondent is likely to have.
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