Study title

United Kingdom

Individual

We conducted this national survey of the United Kingdom using data obtained from an online panel hosted by a social research company (Final N = 1585) between 12 August and 20 August 2016. We gained a quota sample approximately representative of the UK in terms of age, gender, social grade, and location. Quotas for sampling were set according to data obtained from the Office of National Statistics. The online panel was an actively managed panel recruited through sources including newsletter campaigns, banner placements and affiliate networks; the panel used a double opt-in email verification to ensure that participants are interested in panel membership and are contactable. Quotas achieved were monitored daily while the survey was active and further emails were sent to specific panellist groups to achieve a broadly representative quota. Participants were provided with points for their participation in the survey, which could be used to gain shopping vouchers. Recruitment emails provided participants with a broad description of the study as a “research study to look at people’s attitudes and beliefs about the use of energy in the workplace”; details of estimated completion time (15-20 minutes) and incentives points offered were also provided. Participants were first randomly assigned to one of six scenarios about a situation where they shared an office with other people and they had to reduce their energy use at work. In half of the scenarios, the office had an energy display that shows average usage, and in half of the scenarios, an energy display that showed individual usage with names. In a third of the scenarios, there was no Free rider (i.e., person who uses more than the others), in another third, there was a Free rider, and in the last third of the scenarios, the free-rider is legitimate (they have a legitimate explanation for using more). Then participants were asked to fill in questions about how they would react in such a scenario. The rest of the questionnaire asks about motivations to save energy at home and at work, behaviour intentions, concern about climate change, and experience of blackouts.