Green IS design for action formation: An empirical investigation of goal setting and the role of defaults
This study investigates the role of IT in stimulating energy-efficient behavior in private households. We present the example of Velix, a web portal designed to motivate the customers of a utility company to reduce their electricity consumption. In particular, we consider the effectiveness of goal setting functionality and defaults in influencing energy conservation behavior. For this purpose, we use the IT artifact as a test of the theoretical propositions underlying its design. Based on data collected from a field experiment with 1,791 users, we test hypotheses regarding the structural relations between defaults and goals, the impact of defaults and goals on energy reduction, and the moderating role of feedback on goal choice. Our results confirm the positive impact of goal setting on energy conservation. We show that default goals both influence goal choice and lead to significant savings. However, if the default goals are set too low or too high with respect to a self-set goal, the defaults will detrimentally affect behavior. The results of our mediation analysis reveal that the impact of default goals on savings is mediated by goal choice. We also show that feedback on goal attainment moderates the effect of default goals on goal choice. The results have implications for behavioral and design theory and could serve as a blueprint for future research endeavors, particularly with regard to applications based on future smart metering infrastructures.
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