climate change's critical challenge for psychology: preventing rebound and promoting...
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Climate change's critical challenge for psychology: Preventing rebound and promoting intrinsic motivation for environmental engagement Siegmar Otto Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg. Climate change mitigation and psychology Climate change mitigation means to reduce energy consumption - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Climate change's critical challenge for psychology:
Preventing rebound and promoting intrinsic motivation for environmental engagement
Siegmar Otto
Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg
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Climate change mitigation and psychologyClimate change mitigation means to reduce energy consumption
the prime strategy: technological efficiency increases
doesn’t work because of rebound
reduction of energy consumption is a psychological problem
common approaches (incentives) don’t work
the problem substantially different from other environmental issues
What really has to be done?
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The Climate Change Challenge
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The Climate Change Challenge
common aim of sustainable development (i.e. especially climate change mitigation): reduction of energy and resource consumption
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The Climate Change Challenge
strategies of sustainable
devleopment
efficiencysufficiencyconsistency
the three strategies of sustainable development according to the Brundtland report (WCED, 1987) sustainable development is possible, if and only if all
three strategies are pursued
Consistencyreintegration of the industrial metabolism into natural processes or separation of the metabolism from the environment
Efficiencyderived from an input’s ratio to its utility in respect of a certain measure
Sufficiencyself-limitation, especially with regard to (materialistic) consumption
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The Climate Change Challenge
Consistencyuse only renewable energy
Efficiencyincrease efficiency of technology (e.g., energy efficient fridges)
Sufficiencyconsume less energy and resources (e.g., travel less)
sustainable development in the case of climate change mitigation
reduction of energy consumption
strategies of sustainable
devleopment
efficiencysufficiencyconsistency
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The Climate Change Challenge
Consistencyuse only renewable energy
Efficiencyincrease efficiency of our technology (e.g., energy efficient fridges)
Sufficiencyconsume less energy and resources (e.g., travel less)
strategies of sustainable
devleopment
efficiencysufficiencyconsistency
yes BUT rebound
unimportant in most
strategies
partially
sustainable development in the case of climate change
climate change mitigation -> reduction of energy consumption
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The Climate Change Challenge
only marginally relevant
the basic strategy of all businessefficiency increase cheaper production higher profitgreen image higher saleseconomic growth policy support
also on the individual levelmore efficient behavior fulfillment of more goals
irrelevant
Societal focus on efficiency - Results of a content analysis (business and politics
Otto (2007)
strategies of sustainable
devleopment
efficiencysufficiencyconsistency
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The Climate Change Challenge
Societal focus on efficiency - and its result
19601966
19721978
19841990
19962002
2008
USAGerm.EUWorldChina
Example: AIM of the European Union until 2020
Agenda 20-20-20 EU 2008
• reduction greenhouse gas emission by 20%
• share of renewable energies above 20%
• reduction of primary energy consumption by 20%
all strategies depend on efficiency increases
REALITY
no reduction in primary energy consumption
www.worldbank.org
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How do we support mitigation?
Commonly acknowledged contributions to climate change mitigation
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How do we support mitigation?
Commonly acknowledged contributions to climate change mitigation
high
switch to energy efficient lighting
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How do we support mitigation?
Commonly acknowledged contributions to climate change mitigation
high
change to energy efficient fridge
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How do we support mitigation?
Problem: Rebound - no real contribution
YearCosts and consumption of light
per capita cons in Lumen/h
Cost
per
Lum
en/h
(effi
cien
cy o
f gen
erati
on)
1800
1850
1900
1950
2000
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
01000200030004000500060007000
technological efficiency gains are (over)compensated by additional consumption -> rebound
1996-2007
consumption per capita kWh/a +23%
consumption per dish washer kWh/a -19%
stock of dish washers +63%
Herring & Roy (2007); Umweltbundesamt (2011)
increasing per-capita energy consumption despite efficient technologybecause of
rebound
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How do we support mitigation?
OTHER commonly acknowledged contributions to climate change mitigation
higher savings
use tram or bicycle instead of car
shop less
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How do we support mitigation?
Difference to previous environmental problem
single behaviors can be changed effectively
BUT: what do people do with savings from efficiency gains (and other sufficient behaviors)
spend otherwise e.g., for a nice vacation
REBOUND
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Why do we act and use technology (and produce CO2)?
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Why do we act and use technology (and produce CO2)?
The psychological causes of rebound and unrestrained consumption
or
Why do we spend the money and time we earn?
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Why do we act and use technology (and produce CO2)?
Why are you listening to this talk?
Everybody has and endless number ofdesires, goals and motives
How can you attain more of them?
By being more efficient (with technology)
Since when?hand axe
since at least 2,6 mya
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Why do we act and use technology (and produce CO2)?
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Why do we act and use technology (and produce CO2)?
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Why do we act and use technology (and produce CO2)?
efficient technology• more effective goal attainment• functional, facilitates everyday life• attain our goals with less effort and faster• more goals can be attained
efficiency increase is prime strategy of evolution
the same in flora and fauna (biopsychology)
Otto, Kaiser, & Arnold (2013)
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Why do we act and use technology (and produce CO2)?
psychological explanation of unrestrained consumption• the purpose of cars, fridges, and houses is not to save energy• they are means to satisfy personal ends• technology serves personal goals (extrinsic) climate change mitigation is no prime goal of most individuals fulfilling more personal desire and motives IS prime goal
*intrinsic motivation: motive to reduce environmental burden / mitigate climate change extrinsic motivation: any other motive
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Common approaches to behavior change
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Common approaches to behavior change
most effective programs: extrinsic behavioral managementmain focus on enticements / incentives
• financial
• social
*intrinsic motivation: motive to reduce environmental burden / mitigate climate change extrinsic motivation: any other motive
Example: AIM of the European Union until 2020
Agenda 20-20-20 EU 2008
• reduction greenhouse gas emission by 20%
• share of renewable energies above 20%
• reduction of primary energy consumption by 20%
all strategies depend on efficiency increases
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Common approaches to behavior change
common practice -> change behavior difficulty (with extrinsic motives)
social enticements / incentivesbenefits grounded in people's social motives e.g.:
• status motives
• social norms (descriptive and injunctive)
• publicly made promises
financial enticements / incentivese.g., providing free access to products or services, fees, rebates, subsidies …
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Common approaches to behavior change
common practice -> change behavior difficulty (with extrinsic motives)
financial enticements / incentiveexample: lamps
price (e.g., subsidize energy efficient light bulbs)
money savings for the individual
solution:change situational costs
problem:low acceptance of energy efficient lamps
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Common approaches to behavior change
common practice -> change behavior difficulty (with extrinsic motives)
social enticements / incentivesexample: green products and status motives
Schneider, (2004); Griskevicius, Tybur, & van den Bergh (2010)
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Common approaches to behavior change
effective change of single behaviorsworked for most previous environmental issues (e.g. ozone layer depletion)
BUT:
impossible to change all relevant behaviors
savings in terms of time and money
social and financial enticements / incentives
additional consumption (rebound)
no reduction in overall energy consumption
no climate change mitigation
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Common approaches to behavior change
high
low
beha
vior
diffi
culty
(Germany 2010, N = 2,317)
.14
.16
.23
.31
.32
.49
.51
.53
.60
.69
.76
.89
.95
% of people behavior
active environmentalismrefraining from own carrefraining from shopping bagsswitching off engine
refraining from fabric softenersheating reduction (> 4 Std.)commuting by bikerefraining from clothes dryersno convenience foodrefraining from prewashingtaking showers not bathsrecycling paper
owning energy efficient car
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What do we need to reduce overall energy consumption?
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What do we need to reduce overall energy consumption?
high
low
intr
insic
moti
vatio
n
beha
vior
diffi
culty
(Germany 2010, N = 2,317)
.14
.16
.23
.31
.32
.49
.51
.53
.60
.69
.76
.89
.95
% of people behavior
active environmentalismrefraining from own carrefraining from shopping bagsswitching off engineowning energy efficient carrefraining from fabric softenersheating reduction (> 4 Std.)commuting by bikerefraining from clothes dryersno convenience foodrefraining from prewashingtaking showers not bathsrecycling paper
persons
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What do we need to reduce overall energy consumption?
promotion of intrinsic environmental motivation
high
low
envi
ronm
enta
l moti
vatio
n
THE CHALLENGE
behaviorchange
29%34%35%36%38%36%35%34%30%23%18%9%4%
2010
.14
.16
.23
.31
.43
.49
.51
.53
.60
.69
.76
.89
.95
Germany
.43
.50
.58
.67
.81
.85
.86
.87
.90
.92
.94
.98
.99
active environmentalismrefraining from own carrefraining from shopping bagsswitching off enginerefraining from car userefraining from fabric softenersheating reduction (> 4 Std.)commuting by bikerefraining from clothes dryersno convenience foodrefraining from prewashingtaking showers not bathsrecycling paper
2010
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What do we need to reduce overall energy consumption?
affects personal overall consumption no costly regulation necessaryinternally motivated
high
low
intr
insic
moti
vatio
n
beha
vior
diffi
culty
persons
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Finally some good news
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Finally some good news
• we know how to measure intrinsic environmental motivation
• environmental behavior (i.e. intrinsic motivation) is learned
• intrinsic environmental motivation is related to• environmental knowledge • use of nature• prosociality
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Finally some good news
measurement of intrinsic environmental motivation
with the General Ecological Behavior Scale Nunca Raras
vecesOcasionalmente
Frecuentemente
Siempre NA
Me voy en bicicleta o uso transporte público para ir al trabajo o a la Universidad. □ □ □ □ □ □Compro carne producida y productos con etiquetas ecológicas. □ □ □ □ □ □Me ducho en lugar de bañarme. □ □ □ □ □ □Compro muebles de madera de árboles sembrados domésticamente. □ □ □ □ □ □Espero a tener una carga completa de ropa antes de poner la lavadora. □ □ □ □ □ □…. □ □ □ □ □ □
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Finally some good news
intrinsic environmental motivation is learned
correlation (r) age and env motivation/behavior2001 r = .25 (p < .001; N = 779)2010 r = .18, .17, and .16, respectively (each p < .001; each N = 779).
env motivation/behavior significantly higher in 2010 (M = .08, SD = .85)than in 2001 (M = -.08, SD = .76).
envi
ronm
enta
lm
otiva
tion/
beha
vior
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38 Kaiser & Frick (2002)
ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE
environmental sciencesfaculty
electrical engineering
forestry
environmental sciencesstudents
Finally some good news
environmental education
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.43
Finally some good news
environmental education
Kaiser & Frick (2002)
increasingly relevant for lifestyle
environmental motivation
19%EN
VIR
ON
ME
NTA
L B
EH
AVIO
R /
MO
TIVA
TIO
N
ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE
environmental sciencesfaculty
electrical engineering
forestry
environmental sciencesstudents
environmental knowledge
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.51
N = 1336; age: 36.6
Finally some good news
Relation between attitude towards nature and intrinsic motivation
intrinsic motivation
attitude towards nature
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Otto, S., Kaiser, F. G., & Arnold, O. (in press). The critical challenge of climate change for psychology: Preventing rebound and promoting more individual irrationality. European Psychologist.
Siegmar OttoOtto-von-Guericke-UniversityMagdeburg
¡Gracias!
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Siegmar OttoOtto-von-Guericke-Universität
Institut für PsychologiePostfach 4120
D-39016 Magdeburg
Siegmar OttoOtto-von-Guericke-University
Magdeburg
Enjoy nature