On the effect of exposure to information and self-benefit appeals on consumer's intention to perform pro-environmental behaviours: A focus on energy conservation behaviours

Technology providers have clearly understood that considering consumers’ behavioural changes is important in developing new technologies, particularly in the energy sector. This study examines the effectiveness of exposure to information and self-benefit appeals in determining the energy conservation behaviours of consumers. In particular, based on an extension of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, we used data from a survey of 450 householders in Tuscany (Italy) to analyse how advertising appeals and the prior exposure to general information about energy conservation influence intentions to undertake energy saving behaviour and invest in different energy efficient technologies. The results suggest that advertising based on self-benefit appeals, which is a communication method typically aimed at producing short-term effects, is effective in promoting reductions in energy consumption and investment in widely-adopted technologies, but cannot increase the interest of consumers in scarcely-adopted ones, which have less associations with repeated exposure to general information about energy conservation. Thus, technology providers should consider combining communication methods with short-term and long-term orientations to successfully turn consumers’ informational basis and self-benefit appeals into intentions to perform pro-environmental behaviours. The study concludes with a discussion of its theoretical and managerial implications in the field of market-oriented technology management.