Can community energy initiatives motivate sustainable energy behaviours? The role of initiative involvement and personal pro-environmental motivation. (June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sloot, Daniel; Jans, Lise; Steg, Linda
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental psychology. Volume 57(2018)
• Page Start: 99
• Page End: 106
• Publication Date: 2018-06
• Subjects: Community energy initiatives -- Sustainable energy behaviours -- Personal pro-environmental motivation -- Group membership -- Identification; Environmental psychology -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; 155.905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2018.06.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0272-4944

Abstract

Abstract: Community energy initiatives aim to promote sustainable energy behaviours. Personal pro-environmental motivation may influence involvement in these initiatives as well as sustainable energy behaviours. This raises the question whether initiative involvement is uniquely associated with sustainable energy behaviours when accounting for personal pro-environmental motivation. A large-scale questionnaire study among members and non-members of 29 community energy initiatives revealed that different types of personal pro-environmental motivation were indeed related to initiative involvement and sustainable energy intentions and behaviours. Yet, initiative involvement—membership and identification—was generally also uniquely related to sustainable energy intentions and behaviours. Besides, personal pro-environmental motivation and initiative involvement were both uniquely related to broader pro-environmental and communal intentions. Highlights: Community energy initiative involvement relates to sustainable energy behaviours. Personal pro-environmental motivation relates to initiative involvement. Personal pro-environmental motivation relates to sustainable energy behaviours. Initiative membership and identification relate to sustainable energy behaviours. These relationships extend to communal and partly to pro-environmental intentions.