Climate change's critical challenge for psychology: Preventing rebound and promoting intrinsic...

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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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common aim of sustainable development (i.e. especially climate change mitigation): reduction of energy and resource consumption

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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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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


devleopment


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Consistencyuse only renewable energy

Efficiencyincrease efficiency of our technology (e.g., energy efficient fridges)

Sufficiencyconsume less energy and resources (e.g., travel less)


devleopment


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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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)


devleopment


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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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high

switch to energy efficient lighting

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high

change to energy efficient fridge

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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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OTHER commonly acknowledged contributions to climate change mitigation

higher savings

use tram or bicycle instead of car

shop less

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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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The psychological causes of rebound and unrestrained consumption

or

Why do we spend the money and time we earn?

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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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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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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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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 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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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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social enticements / incentivesexample: green products and status motives

Schneider, (2004); Griskevicius, Tybur, & van den Bergh (2010)

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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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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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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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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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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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• 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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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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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


environmental education

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.43


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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40 Kaiser, Hartig, Brügger & Duvier (2011)

.51

N = 1336; age: 36.6


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

[email protected]

¡Gracias!

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Siegmar OttoOtto-von-Guericke-Universität

Institut für PsychologiePostfach 4120

D-39016 Magdeburg

[email protected]

Siegmar OttoOtto-von-Guericke-University

Magdeburg

[email protected]

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