Experimental Vignette Methodology: A Cost-Effective Approach for Testing the Energy Saving Effects of Psychological Interventions?

The effect of energy-efficient technology is frequently diminished by so-called rebound effects. Experimental vignette methodology (EVM) is introduced as an experimental research methodology for controlled testing of psychological interventions to reduce such rebound effects after the rebound has been induced. The potential of EVM is validated in two studies. In Study 1 ( N = 735), EVM is validated by an experimental test of four empirically well-supported intervention techniques: information provision, self-commitment with goal setting, comparative feedback, and comparative feedback augmented by injunctive norms. As expected, information provision had no effect, self-commitment with goal setting increased energy-saving intention, while comparative feedback had the strongest effect. Study 2 ( N = 121) demonstrates the potential of EVM for analyzing mediating mechanisms, in this case how social norm and personal norm mediate the impact of comparative feedback. The findings underscore the value of the EVM as a methodology for systematic, controlled testing of causal intervention effects.