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Complementarities in Behavioral Interventions: Evidence From a Field Experiment on Energy Conservation

Author

Listed:
  • Ximeng Fang
  • Lorenz Goette
  • Bettina Rockenbach
  • Matthias Sutter
  • Verena Tiefenbeck
  • Samuel Schoeb
  • Thorsten Staake

Abstract

Behavioral policy often aims at overcoming barriers like imperfect information and limited attention that contribute to suboptimal consumer decisions. When multiple barriers are present, a single intervention that does not overcome all barriers simultaneously may fail to unfold its full potential. We conduct a three-month randomized field experiment on energy conservation in a resource-intensive everyday activity, using two different interventions. Home energy reports fail to reduce energy use despite achieving significant knowledge gains; real-time feedback induces considerable conservation effects. Strikingly, combining both interventions boosts these effects by over 50%. This showcases how barrier multiplicity can generate complementarities in behavioral interventions.

Suggested Citation

  • Ximeng Fang & Lorenz Goette & Bettina Rockenbach & Matthias Sutter & Verena Tiefenbeck & Samuel Schoeb & Thorsten Staake, 2020. "Complementarities in Behavioral Interventions: Evidence From a Field Experiment on Energy Conservation," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2021_149v2, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:crctr224_2021_149v2
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    Cited by:

    1. Davide Pace & Joël van der Weele, 2020. "Curbing Carbon: An Experiment on Uncertainty and Information about CO2 emissions," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 20-059/I, Tinbergen Institute.
    2. Bartels, Lara & Werthschulte, Madeline, 2023. ""More bang for the buck"? Evidence on the effectiveness of an energy efficiency subsidy," ZEW Discussion Papers 23-022, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    3. Bartels, Lara & Werthschulte, Madeline, 2022. "More than just a Price Decrease: Field Experimental Evidence on the Mechanisms of an Energy Efficiency Subsidy," VfS Annual Conference 2022 (Basel): Big Data in Economics 264091, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    behavioral interventions; energy conservation; inattention; real-time feedback; home energy reports; policy interactions; randomized controlled trials;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices

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