Social-psychological and Contextual Factors Affecting Low-income Households’ Energy Behaviors: An Interdisciplinary Approach

• In Event: 3172 - Conceptual Frameworks and New Frontiers in Energy Justice: From Macro to Micro Levels

Abstract

Low-income households (LIHs) spend about 26% of their income on utility costs, whereas the average US household spends about 4%. Previous research of this population tends to emphasize demographic or economic factors with little consideration of social-psychological and contextual factors in one study. Based on the interdisciplinary approach of investigating energy behavior and the extended Theory of Planned Behavior, this presentation focuses on the micro-level of analyzing LIHS’ energy behaviors to address how demographics, climate zone, and a variety set of social-psychological variables (e.g., norms, energy saving attitudes, perceived behavioral control, environmental concern, bill consciousness, frugality attitude, and thermal comfort) influenced LIHs’ energy conservation intentions. Additionally, this presentation analyzes the relationship between social-psychological factors and demand response behaviors aiming to reduce energy consumption during peak hours across three main income groups (low, medium, and high) in the states of California, Virginia, Tennessee and Taxis. Demand response programs are being used as resource options for balancing power supply and demand and help residents to consume electricity in a more efficiency way through communication between residents and power utilities; yet, little research has focused on how LIHS’ respond to these programs and related energy behaviors. This presentation offers the comparison of demand response behaviors across the three income groups based on social-psychological analysis.

Author

• Chien-fei Chen, University of Tennessee