Preferences for Change: Do Individuals Prefer Voluntary Actions, Soft Regulations, or Hard Regulations to Decrease Fossil Fuel Consumption?

10 Pages Posted: 27 Oct 2013

See all articles by Shahzeen Attari

Shahzeen Attari

Indiana University Bloomington - School of Public and Environmental Affairs

Mary Schoen

Carnegie Mellon University - Department of Engineering and Public Policy

Cliff Davidson

Syracuse University

Michael L. DeKay

Carnegie Mellon University - H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management

Wändi Bruine de Bruin

University of Southern California

Robyn M Dawes

Carnegie Mellon University

Mitchell J. Small

Carnegie Mellon University - Department of Engineering and Public Policy

Date Written: 2009

Abstract

Pittsburgh residents (n = 209) reported their preferences for voluntary actions, soft regulations, and hard regulations to (a) limit the number of SUVs and trucks and (b) increase green energy use for household energy consumption. These two goals were presented in one of two motivating frames, as addressing either environmental or national security issues. For the goal of limiting SUVs and trucks, results indicated that participants favored voluntary actions over hard regulations, and soft regulations over voluntary actions. For the goal of increasing green energy, results indicated that participants preferred both voluntary actions and soft regulations over hard regulations, but had no significant preference between voluntary actions and soft regulations. How the problems were framed did not significantly affect participants' willingness to accept voluntary actions or regulations. Participants' environmental attitudes (as assessed using the New Ecological Paradigm scale) had a strong positive relationship with support for regulatory strategies intended to change the behaviors in question. Women were more likely to support voluntary actions than men. The loss of personal freedom was frequently mentioned as a reason for saying no to hard regulations.

Keywords: preferences for change, energy conservation, environmental behavior, regulations, personal freedom

JEL Classification: D70, Q40, Q28, Q38

Suggested Citation

Attari, Shahzeen and Schoen, Mary and Davidson, Cliff and DeKay, Michael L. and Bruine de Bruin, Wändi and Dawes, Robyn M and Small, Mitchell J., Preferences for Change: Do Individuals Prefer Voluntary Actions, Soft Regulations, or Hard Regulations to Decrease Fossil Fuel Consumption? (2009). Ecological Economics, Vol. 68, 2009, 1701-1710, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2345767

Shahzeen Attari (Contact Author)

Indiana University Bloomington - School of Public and Environmental Affairs ( email )

1315 East Tenth Street
Bloomington, IN 47405
United States

HOME PAGE: http://mypage.iu.edu/~sattari/index.html

Mary Schoen

Carnegie Mellon University - Department of Engineering and Public Policy ( email )

Baker Hall 129
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
United States

Cliff Davidson

Syracuse University ( email )

900 S. Crouse Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2130
United States

Michael L. DeKay

Carnegie Mellon University - H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management ( email )

Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
United States

Wändi Bruine de Bruin

University of Southern California ( email )

2250 Alcazar Street
Los Angeles, CA 90089
United States

Robyn M Dawes

Carnegie Mellon University ( email )

Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
United States

Mitchell J. Small

Carnegie Mellon University - Department of Engineering and Public Policy

Baker Hall 129
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
United States

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