Joint effect of feedback and goal setting on performance: a field study of residential energy conservation
The facilitating motivational effect of feedback on performance has been attributed by some to difficult goals set in response to feedback. In this article, the effect was attributed to the presence of both a difficult goal and feedback about performance in relation to that goal. Eighty families were asked to set a goal to reduce their residential electricity consumption for several weeks during the summer, half of them by 20% (a difficult goal) and half by 2% (an easy goal). Within each of these groups, half of the families were given feedback three times a week about their consumption. Twenty more families served as a control. As predicted, the 20%-feedback group conserved the most (13.0% - 15.1%) and was the only one that consumed significantly less electricity than the control. It was concluded that improved performance was a result of the joint effect of feedback and goal setting. The implications of this research for a national residential conservation strategy are discussed. 20 references, 2 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Princeton Univ., NJ
- DOE Contract Number:
- AS02-76CS20039
- OSTI ID:
- 6347585
- Journal Information:
- J. Appl. Psychol.; (United States), Vol. 63:4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Feedback as a means of decreasing residential energy consumption. Report PU/CES 34
FTR for: Reducing plug-load electricity footprint of residential buildings through low-cost, non-intrusive sub-metering and personalized feedback technology
Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
ENERGY CONSERVATION
PUBLIC POLICY
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
INFORMATION NEEDS
RESIDENTIAL SECTOR
ATTITUDES
BEHAVIOR
PERFORMANCE
320900* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Education & Public Relations- (1980-)
320101 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Residential Buildings- (-1987)
291000 - Energy Planning & Policy- Conservation