Stimulating the drive to drive green: A longitudinal experiment on socially comparative vs. individual digital eco-driving feedback

Abstract

In the global fight against climate change, eco-driving could contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions. Recommendations on how to drive more ecologically abound, but drivers may fail to implement them as they experience difficulties monitoring their own behaviour. Digital feedback systems can help. In a longitudinal experiment, we communicate eco-driving recommendations to a sample of drivers (N = 412). Over a seven week time frame (in addition to a 13-week pre-experimental baseline easurement), we test whether digital feedback using an eco-score index further improves eco-driving. We experimentally evaluate whether adding a competitive component to the feedback further impacts eco-driving, testing different types of socially comparative feedback. Our results show that competitive feedback may help reduce speeding (but not other aspects of eco-driving), respective of the type of social comparison provided, suggesting that possibly the competitive mind-set as such (rather than the specific information conveyed) triggers the partial eco-driving improvement.