October 10 – Erb Colloquium / Magali Delmas Abstract

“Saving Power to Conserve Your Reputation? The effectiveness of private verse public information.” 12 – 1:30 PM, Ross E0550 /Open to the University community
Pizza and Salad are provided, please bring your own beverage.

Abtract:
Real-time feedback over energy usage has the power to better inform consumers about the consequences of their energy usage behaviors and thus empower them to make better decisions, saving money and reducing energy consumption. However consumers will only expend the effort to gather, understand and utilize this information if they are sufficiently motivated to do so. Pecuniary motivations are effective but politically unpalatable. We investigate a unique behavioral motivator, or “nudge”, in the form of reputational concerns. Energy usage is invisible to both energy users and those around them. If energy usage is made visible to the public, consumers will be motivated to conserve energy to gather the benefits of a “green” reputation. In a year-long experiment in the residence halls at the University of California – Los Angeles, we provide students with real-time feedback and reputational motivation. Reputational concerns effectively motivated electricity users to reduce consumption by 20 percent.