The psychology of participation and interest in smart energy systems: Comparing the value-belief-norm theory and the value-identity-personal norm model

By E. van der Werff, L. Steg. 2016

304 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Environmental problems can be reduced if people would participate in smart energy systems. Little is known about which factors motivate people to actually participate in smart energy systems. We tested the factors that influence individuals’ interest and actual participation in smart energy systems. We compared the predictive power of the value-belief-norm theory with a novel model to explain pro-environmental actions: the value-identity-personal norm model. Both focus on normative considerations in explaining behaviour, but the VIP model focuses on general rather than behaviour-specific antecedents. Our results show that both models explained a similar amount of variance in interest and actual participation in smart energy systems. This suggests that the value-identity-personal norm model is a promising model to explain and promote pro-environmental actions such as participation in smart grids. Further, it is more parsimonious than the value-belief-norm theory and focuses on general factors that are likely to predict other environmental behaviours as well. The value-identity-personal norm model is therefore a particularly promising model in promoting a range of environmental behaviours.

Subfields: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law, Sociology and Political Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/99aae5ae3d6be493a8e722255f62ce2d5f47aac1

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

1. Manuel Alector Ribeiro
2. Hüseyin Ates
3. Christy Hehir
4. Tara J Denley
5. Jesse Abrams
6. K. Woosnam
7. B. B. Boley

In Sociology and Political Science

1. Manuel Alector Ribeiro
2. K. Woosnam
3. B. B. Boley
4. Henrik Lund
5. Brian Vad Mathiesen
6. D. Connolly
7. Hüseyin Ates
8. Christy Hehir

Citations in the corpus

• Simulation versus Optimisation: Theoretical Positions in Energy System Modelling (2017, background): “Proposals have also been put forward to design transparent models suitable to enable interdisciplinary participation and/or similar approaches [35,36].”
• Merging Theory of Planned Behavior and Value Identity Personal norm model to explain pro-environmental behaviors (2020, methodology): “The model also postulated that “the tronger one’s biospheric values, the stronger one’s environmental selfdentity, and the stronger personal norm, the more one is likely to acually participate” ( van der Werff and Steg, 2016 ; p.112).”
• Individuals’ intentions to engage in last chance tourism: applying the value-belief-norm model (2020, background): “…van Riper & Kyle, 2014), consumers’ decision making in selecting products or services (Jansson et al., 2011; Zepeda & Deal, 2009), energy efficiency and conservation (Fornara et al., 2016; van der Werff & Steg, 2016) and climate change perspectives (Nilsson et al., 2004; Sanderson & Curtis, 2016).”
• Appraising the influence of pro-environmental self-identity on sustainable consumption buying and curtailment in emerging markets: Evidence from China and Poland (2017, unknown): “However only a small number of more recent studies have explored self-identity and values simultaneously (e.g. Gatersleben, Murtagha, & Abrahamseb, 2012; van der Werff & Steg, 2016; Whitmarsh & O'Neill, 2010).”