When too few is bad for the environment : choice set size and default effects for electricity products

Kühne, Swen Jonas; Reijnen, Ester; Crameri, Aureliano

doi:10.1024/1421-0185/a000232

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	When too few is bad for the environment : choice set size and default effects for electricity products
Authors:	Kühne, Swen Jonas Reijnen, Ester Crameri, Aureliano
et. al:	No
DOI:	10.1024/1421-0185/a000232
Published in:	Swiss Journal of Psychology
Volume(Issue):	79
Issue:	1
Page(s):	35
Pages to:	41
Issue Date:	2019
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	Hogrefe
ISSN:	1421-0185 1662-0879
Language:	English
Subjects:	Default; Electricity product; Choice set size; Extremeness aversion
Subject (DDC):	150: Psychology
Abstract:	Defaults are an effective tool in shaping consumers’ decisions. However, only a few studies have investigated the role of defaults regarding consumers’ choices of electricity products. Moreover, each of these studies used binary choice sets (gray vs. green electricity). Notably, decision-making research has shown that consumer choice patterns are considerably influenced by the size of the choice set (e.g., adding a third option). The question is, does this also hold for defaults, that is, do they function differently depending on the choice set size? In our experimental study, participants could choose between three electricity products (gray, green, and eco), which varied in their environmental friendliness and price, the default randomly being one of the three products. In addition, we had a no-default condition. Contrary to the other studies, we found not only a default effect for the least environmentally friendly gray product, but also for the environmentally friendlier products green and eco electricity. Moreover, the popularity of the middle option – the green electricity product – was not reduced by adding a third product. The results indicate that increasing the set size by adding an eco-product and by intelligently setting the default could increase the number of consumers buying environmentally friendly electricity products.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/18166
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	Applied Psychology
Organisational Unit:	Psychological Institute (PI)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Angewandte Psychologie

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Kühne, S. J., Reijnen, E., & Crameri, A. (2019). When too few is bad for the environment : choice set size and default effects for electricity products. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 79(1), 35–41. https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000232

Kühne, S.J., Reijnen, E. and Crameri, A. (2019) ‘When too few is bad for the environment : choice set size and default effects for electricity products’, Swiss Journal of Psychology, 79(1), pp. 35–41. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000232.

S. J. Kühne, E. Reijnen, and A. Crameri, “When too few is bad for the environment : choice set size and default effects for electricity products,” Swiss Journal of Psychology, vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 35–41, 2019, doi: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000232.

KÜHNE, Swen Jonas, Ester REIJNEN und Aureliano CRAMERI, 2019. When too few is bad for the environment : choice set size and default effects for electricity products. Swiss Journal of Psychology. 2019. Bd. 79, Nr. 1, S. 35–41. DOI 10.1024/1421-0185/a000232

Kühne, Swen Jonas, Ester Reijnen, and Aureliano Crameri. 2019. “When Too Few Is Bad for the Environment : Choice Set Size and Default Effects for Electricity Products.” Swiss Journal of Psychology 79 (1): 35–41. https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000232.

Kühne, Swen Jonas, et al. “When Too Few Is Bad for the Environment : Choice Set Size and Default Effects for Electricity Products.” Swiss Journal of Psychology, vol. 79, no. 1, 2019, pp. 35–41, https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000232.