Why do some people switch off the lights to save energy, while others don’t? A new article in The Conversation, co-authored by Dr Sam Hampton, researcher at Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute explores this question by analysing insights from 100 studies across 42 countries.
The researchers found that people with strong environmental values, or who believe their actions can make a positive difference, are generally more likely to save energy. However, the study also highlights a well-known “attitude–behaviour gap”: even when people care about climate change, this doesn’t always translate into action.
According to the researchers, wider social and economic factors — such as cost, convenience, and social norms — often have a stronger influence on behaviour than personal attitudes alone. For example, people are more likely to invest in energy-saving technologies like heat pumps if their neighbours already have one, and when such options are affordable and easy to install.
The study suggests that policies making sustainable choices cheaper and more convenient are key to encouraging lasting behaviour change. “If saving energy becomes the affordable, easy, and normal thing to do,” the researchers say, “then meaningful progress toward climate and energy goals becomes far more achievable.”
Read the full article in The Conversation: Why some people turn off the lights and others don’t