"Nudging" cues, combined with good data, can provide better strategies for persuading people to make environmentally friendly choices than information campaigns alone, a new study published in the Journal of Consumer Policy has found.
Based on insights from psychology and behavioural economics, nudging techniques alter people’s behaviour by changing their social or physical environment in subtle ways that unconsciously trigger a desired action. The study cites a Danish survey, which found that the way people are asked about smart meter installation substantially affected the rate of uptake. Making acceptance the default response, but with opt-out available, resulted in almost 50% more people having meters installed than by asking them to opt in, nudging consumers towards the more sustainable choice. In a separate American study, people who thought their neighbours cared about conserving energy were more likely to say they themselves tried to reduce energy consumption.