| Abstract: |
Dynamic social norms have been recognized as a promising approach to promote
energy sufficiency. By highlighting trends and future shifts rather than
current states, dynamic norms allow for a better focus on emerging norms that
are not widely adopted. While existing studies predominantly examine
behavioral outcomes, the underlying processes and trade-offs remain to be
explored. This paper uses a discrete choice experiment (DCE) combined with a
randomized controlled trial to study electricity saving preferences under
various dynamic norms. An emphasis is placed on the rationale for the norm
changes. The results show that dynamic norms framed in terms of growing
concerns about energy supply security positively affect electricity saving
goal, whereas those framed around climate change do not. The heterogeneity
analyses suggest that dynamic norms shape behavior through two complementary
mechanisms: they generate new preferences while simultaneously reinforcing
existing ones. The concluding analysis identifies four distinct groups that
vary systematically in their preferences for electricity sufficiency. |