How to promote energy-saving attitudes with nudges

Evidence from Hungary

Datos Bibliográficos

ID7397273
AutoresRichárd Szántó (0000-0003-2770-2996), Borbála Szüle (0000-0002-6431-1866), Jorge Gaspar (0000-0003-1908-1616)
Año2025
Volumen10
Páginas101085-101085
Fecha de publicación2025-08-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSustainable Futures (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2666-1888
EditorialElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.sftr.2025.101085
OpenAlexW4412815602
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas53

Energy conservation may be critical for mitigating the devastating consequences of climate change. To examine the drivers of energy-saving behavior, we investigated the temperature that young adults consider as ideal in their homes and the factors that may influence this choice. In an experimental setting, we applied two interventions (a default nudge and information disclosure) separately and in combination. Contrary to intuition, the most substantial energy-saving impact was triggered by mere information disclosure in the form of highlighting the World Health Organization’s recommendations about maintaining a safe and well-balanced indoor temperature. We also examined the effects of concerns about climate change and energy security. Our results revealed that while climate-change-related worries did not have a significant impact, those who were highly worried about the security of energy provision were willing to tolerate much lower temperatures in their homes under some conditions. These findings suggest that simply disclosing choice-relevant information (related to health and energy savings) may efficiently promote energy-saving decisions

Economics · Energy (signal processing · Nudge theory · Physics · Political science · Public economics · Energy and Environment Impacts · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Psychology · Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy · Social Psychology