Behavioral Environmental Economics: Promises and Challenges

Croson, Rachel; Treich, Nicolas

doi:10.1007/s10640-014-9783-y

Cited by 136 publications

(102 citation statements)

References 111 publications

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“…3 One concern with nudging is that it might have only short-term effects that quickly disappear once people gain experience with the good or the choice setting (Croson and Treich, 2014;Löfgren et al, 2012;Lusk, 2014). In the present experiment, this could be the case if customers were initially nudged to choose the vegetarian option but returned to their original choices once they became accustomed to the new setting, either because they did not like the vegetarian option or because the nudge initially increased the number of ordering mistakes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Nudging to Reduce Meat Consumption: Immediate and Persistent Effects of an Intervention at a University Restaurant

Kurz

2017

SSRN Journal

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Changing dietary habits to reduce the consumption of meat is considered to have great potential to mitigate food-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To test if nudging can increase the consumption of vegetarian food, I conducted a field experiment with two university restaurants. At the treated restaurant, the salience of the vegetarian option was increased by changing the menu order, and by placing the dish at a spot visible to customers. The other restaurant served as a control. Daily sales data on the three main dishes sold were collected from September 2015 until June 2016. The experiment was divided into a baseline, an intervention, and a reversal period where the setup was returned to its original state. Results show that the nudge increased the share of vegetarian lunches sold by around 6 percentage points. The change in behavior is partly persistent, as the share of vegetarian lunches sold remained 4 percentage points higher than during the baseline period after the original setup was reinstated. The changes in consumption reduced GHG emissions from food sales around 5 percent.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Nudging to Reduce Meat Consumption: Immediate and Persistent Effects of an Intervention at a University Restaurant

Kurz

2017

SSRN Journal

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“…In parallel with this increase in academic interest, it has also been recognized that understanding human decision processes has important implications for public policy (Thaler and Sunstein 2008). This is also true for policies related to sustainable behavior (Bamberg et al 2011;Ölander and Thøgersen 2014), which is reflected in a number of articles and survey papers (Gowdy 2008;Shogren and Taylor 2008;Peattie 2010;Carlsson and Johansson-Stenman 2012;Hammitt 2013;Croson and Treich 2014).…”

Section: Relevant Concepts In Behavioral Sciencementioning

confidence: 96%

Consumers and their behavior: state of the art in behavioral science supporting use phase modeling in LCA and ecodesign

Sorrentino

Woelbert

Sala

2016

Int J Life Cycle Assess

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Purpose Life cycle thinking and assessment require a holistic approach to the evaluation of product supply chains. An assessment from raw material extraction to end of life of any products is based on modeling a wide number of aspects and options, e.g., at technological, geographical, and temporal levels. Since the use phase is one of the most contributing life cycle stages for some products (e.g., appliance, housing, cars), a robust modeling of this stage is fundamental. Several attempts to better modeling use-phase have been performed; however, so far no systematic study is available on how to integrate behavioral science (BS) insights into LCA. This is even more important when the impact of the product under consideration is strongly determined by the use phase relatively to other life cycle stages. The aim of this paper is to explore how behavioral science has been used to date and how BS can contribute towards more robust modeling of use phase in LCA and as basis for a behavior-driven ecodesign. Methods We identified the key areas in which LCA and ecodesign may benefit from integrating insights from behavioral science and developing a conceptual model. Both robust modeling and the design of behavior change interventions rest on a sound understanding of behavior in the specific context of interest though empirical investigation. Hence, we reviewed literature on behavioral science and introduce key drivers of human behavior that are relevant in the context of use phase modeling and ecodesign. We provide examples where these were applied to facilitate the integration of BS elements by practitioners. Results and discussion Consumer's behavior is increasingly recognized as one of the drivers of overall environmental impact of a product, and some examples of use of BS for LCA are available in literature. We suggest that behavioral science can be useful in the context of life cycle assessment in two ways: measuring behavior and assessing potential and means for changing behavior. Specifically, insights and methods from behavioral sciences could be applied for assessing variability of consumer behavior, understanding leverages for behavioral changes, and possible rebound effects. Conclusions This insight may help to model the use phase more accurately, to identify realistic scenarios, and to support behavior-driven eco-innovation.

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“…A third explanation for default effects focuses on social norms and implied endorsement from others [21][22][23]31]. From this perspective, the default conveys the socially desired behavior [14,32].…”

Section: Why Do Defaults Work?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another ethical consideration stems from our above discussion around perceived control, which assumes that occupants also have actual control. However, what range of control should occupants be permitted when the goal is to reduce energy waste [31]? Should occupants in different settings be permitted different ranges of control?…”

Section: Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adjustable Green Defaults Can Help Make Smart Homes More Sustainable

Sintov

Schultz

2017

Sustainability

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Smart home technologies offer exciting opportunities to promote more efficient uses of energy. For instance, programmable thermostats, centralized lighting controls, and rooftop solar panels all have potential for energy conservation and efficiency. However, these technologies alone will not guarantee energy savings. Whereas previous research on smart homes has focused on the technologies themselves, relatively little work has addressed the factors that shape the human-technology interface. In this review paper, we argue that in order to ensure any savings, smart home technologies must first be adopted by end-users, and once adopted, they must be used in ways that promote energy efficiency. We focus on three areas of behavioral research with implications for smart home technologies: (1) defaults; (2) perceived adjustability or control; and (3) trust in automation. Linking these areas, we propose a new concept for improving the efficiency gains of smart homes. First, although smart device controls can help save energy, considerably larger energy efficiency gains can be realized through smart automation. But importantly, the default settings of systems should be "green", to maximize energy savings. Second, many people have concerns around relinquishing decision-making to technologies, which can reduce the likelihood of adoption. People want to be, or at least to feel, in control of their homes, even if they do not adjust settings post-installation. Further, consumer trust in technologies encourages adoption in the first place; trust also impacts consumer interactions with installed devices and can impact default acceptance. Combining these concepts, we recommend that smart home technologies build consumer trust and come pre-programmed with adjustable green defaults, which permit consumers to change initial green settings.

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Behavioral Environmental Economics: Promises and Challenges

Cited by 136 publications

References 111 publications

Nudging to Reduce Meat Consumption: Immediate and Persistent Effects of an Intervention at a University Restaurant

Nudging to Reduce Meat Consumption: Immediate and Persistent Effects of an Intervention at a University Restaurant

Consumers and their behavior: state of the art in behavioral science supporting use phase modeling in LCA and ecodesign

Adjustable Green Defaults Can Help Make Smart Homes More Sustainable

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