Abstract:
Regarding the aim of public policies for a modal shift toward less-carbon intensive mobility, we need a better understanding of the factors likely to activate a change in attitudes and individual behavior. In this context, our research focuses on the information delivered to users on the consequences of their behaviors. A self-tracking application developed and used by the company Talan to inform its employees of the carbon footprint of their home-work journeys as well as that of its employees, was used to assess the perception and impact of this information on users’ attitudes and behaviour. A quantitative study of thirty-three users and a qualitative study of eleven users revealed different mechanisms of reference and anchoring of the information. The social norm presented led to a variety of evaluations and induced particular behaviors. The immediate effect of the information and the norm on behavior seem limited.
Keywords: Carbon Footprint, Internal Reference, Social Comparison, Self-Tracking, Mobility
