Indirect Effect of Climate Change Experience on Household Energy Conservation Behavior of College Students Through Risk Perception and Intention

• Main Author: Bordallo, Maria Cristina A.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2023
• Subjects: climate change; experience; risk perception; intention; household energy conservation
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/apssr/vol23/iss1/4; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/apssr/article/1484/viewcontent/RA_203.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

The threat of climate change to humanity and the environment calls for urgent collective action to mitigate its effects. Previous studies have shown that experience with climate change-related events influences intention to engage in actions to mitigate climate change. Because the Philippines regularly experiences extreme weather events associated with climate change, this study examined the effects of personal experience with climate change-related events on household energy conservation behavior to help reduce climate change. A survey was conducted among college students (N = 569) about their experience of climate change-related phenomena, risk perception, and household energy conservation intention and behavior. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results showed that personal experience of events associated with climate change had a significant indirect effect on intention to conserve energy through risk perception. Intention, in turn, directly influenced household energy conservation. The model explained 25% of the variance in energy conservation behavior in college students. Based on these findings, implications for the development and design of strategies to promote conservation behavior in students are discussed.