The attitude-behavior gap in energy conservation: Inhibitory pathways of social norm conflict and the moderating role of goal self-efficacy

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2026.2670

Abstract

Abstract: Social norms are widely used as low-cost nudges to promote pro-environmental behavior, including energy conservation. Both injunctive norms (what people ought to do) and descriptive norms (what most people actually do) significantly influence energy-saving behavior. However, residential energy conservation is often marked by a pervasive attitude-behavior gap, reflected in a conflict between high (positive) injunctive norms and low (negative) descriptive norms. While some interventions deliberately highlight this norm conflict to motivate action, emerging evidence suggests that doing so may backfire, inhibiting rather than promoting energy-saving behavior. Previous research, primarily grounded in the Focus Theory of Normative Conduct, has documented this negative effect but lacks a deep examination of the underlying psychological mechanisms. Integrating the Focus Theory of Normative Conduct with Norm Activation Theory, this study proposed a dual-mediator model, arguing that norm conflict suppresses energy-saving behavior by simultaneously reducing personal responsibility and eliciting psychological reactance. Furthermore, we hypothesized that goal self-efficacy would buffer this inhibitory effect.
A multi-method approach involving five experimental studies (two field studies and three scenario-based experiments) was employed to test the hypotheses across different energy-saving contexts: stair use, intentions to use low-carbon transportation, and intentions to take leftovers home. Study 1 (field experiment, N = 2906) used a one-factor design (norm: control vs. high injunctive norm vs. norm conflict) to examine the effect of norm conflict on actual stair-use behavior. Study 2 (scenario experiment, N = 225) utilized a one-factor between-subjects design (control vs. high injunctive norm vs. norm conflict) to investigate the mediating roles of personal responsibility and psychological reactance in intentions to use low-carbon transportation. Study 3 employed a manipulation-of-mediator design: Studies 3a (N = 200) and 3b (N = 200) each used a 2 (norm: high injunctive vs. conflict) x 2 (mediator: baseline vs. enhanced reactance/responsibility) factorial design to causally test the respective mediating pathways. Study 4 (N = 300) used a 2 (norm: high injunctive vs. conflict) x 2 (goal self-efficacy: high vs. low) between-subjects design to explore the moderating role of goal self-efficacy in intentions to take leftovers home. Finally, Study 5 returned to the field stair-use paradigm and added a “norm conflict + high goal self-efficacy” condition (N = 797) to assess changes in actual behavior following an efficacy-enhancing message. Data were analyzed using analyses of variance (ANOVAs), chi-square tests, bootstrap mediation analyses, and moderated mediation analyses.
The findings consistently demonstrated a significant inhibitory effect of social norm conflict on energy-saving behavior and intentions across contexts. Specifically, in Study 1, the stair-use rate in the norm conflict condition (20.20%) was significantly lower than those in both the high injunctive norm (32.29%) and control (32.96%) conditions. Study 2 supported the proposed dual mediation pathways: norm conflict decreased personal responsibility and increased psychological reactance, which, in turn, reduced energy-saving intentions. The causal roles of these mediators were supported by the manipulation-of-mediator design in Study 3. Study 4 revealed that goal self-efficacy significantly moderated the effect of norm conflict: high efficacy buffered the negative effect of norm conflict on responsibility and consequently on behavioral intention, but did not significantly alleviate the heightened psychological reactance elicited by norm conflict. Crucially, the field experiment in Study 5 showed that introducing a high efficacy message alongside norm conflict information mitigated the negative effect (increasing the stair-use rate from 20.20% in the norm conflict condition to 36.76%).
The present research advances theory by integrating the Focus Theory of Normative Conduct with Norm Activation Theory to identify a dual-pathway (reduced personal responsibility and increased psychological reactance) through which injunctive-descriptive norm conflict undermines energy-saving behavior. It further identifies goal self-efficacy as a key boundary condition that primarily preserves personal responsibility, thereby mitigating the adverse effects of norm conflict. Practically, these findings suggest that interventions should avoid messages emphasizing widespread inaction, and should instead incorporate concrete efficacy cues (e.g., quantifiable personal contributions or demonstrable peer influence) to address the dilemma created by conflicting norms.

Key words: social norm conflict, goal self-efficacy, psychological reactance, personal responsibility, energy conservation

CLC Number:

B849
C91

YIN Xile, HE Linyan, ZHOU Huijuan, CHEN Siyu, ZHANG Feng. (2026). The attitude-behavior gap in energy conservation: Inhibitory pathways of social norm conflict and the moderating role of goal self-efficacy. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 58(12), 2670-2684.

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