Up–Unidentified (M = 7.17 ). We analyzed the data using a 2 (Social Distance) ?2 (Identification

Up–Unidentified (M = 7.17 ). We analyzed the data using a 2 (Social Distance) ?2 (Identification) ANOVA, and we included as covariates the four factors used in the previous analysis. There was no main effect of Social distance [F(1, 268) = 0.23, p = 0.632, p 2 = 0.001] or Identification [F(1, 268) = 0.15, p = 0.697, p 2 = 0.001]. However, once again, we found a significant interaction, F(1, 268) = 8.31, p = 0.004, p 2 = 0.03. As was the case with choice, the only covariate that had a statistically significant influence was the buy TSU68 Crenolanib biological activity perceived importance of the feedback, F(1, 268) = 61.51, p < 0.001, p 2 = 0.19. These results are described in Figure 4. Inspection of the data revealed that participants anchored their judgments on the suggested 10 decrease. Out of all participants stating that they intend to decrease their energy consumption, the majority (54 ) intended to decrease it by exactly 10 . We will return to this finding in the General Discussion.FIGURE 3 | A pie chart indicating the percentage of times that a saving strategy was chosen.The most successful intervention was the one where the referent household was from the same neighborhood and its members were unidentified (In-group--Unidentified).Control ConditionsThe analyses presented above lack a suitable control condition, a baseline. Theoretically, the self-rated intention to decrease energy consumption might be even higher if no feedback or just statistical feedback is given. To examine these possibilities, during the second collection period we gathered data from two control conditions: Statistical Feedback and No Feedback. Participants in the Statistical Feedback condition were informed that: "Your energy consumption exceeded the average household consumption level by 10 ." Participants in the No Feedback condition received no information about others' energy consumption levels. Subsequently, participants were asked to decide whether they intended to increase, keep constant, or decrease their energy consumption level (as in the experimental conditions, no one chose to increase energy consumption). In case they decided to change their consumption level, they had to indicate by how much ( ). Because the control conditions offered no information or very abstract information about a referent household, we did not collect perceived similarity ratings between the participants' household and the referent household, or importance ratings of the feedback. Below, we compare the findings of the four experimental conditions to those of the control conditions.Self-rated Intention to Modify Consumption: Saving StrategiesA subset of the participants (N = 118) indicated the three ways by which they intended to save energy. The results are illustrated in Figure 3. The most chosen option was "Turn off the light when you exit the room" (31 ), while the second and third most chosen options were "Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use" (22 ) and "Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes" (22 ). These data indicate that there is a certain degree of consistency across participants in their preferences about how to save energy.SummaryWe examined whether the effect of comparative feedback (a typical household consumes 10 less) on self-rated intentions to modify energy consumption is moderated by information concerning the "typical household": whether it is located in the same vs. a different neighborhood, and whether its members are identified by names, age, and a photograph vs. they.Up--Unidentified (M = 7.17 ). We analyzed the data using a 2 (Social Distance) ?2 (Identification) ANOVA, and we included as covariates the four factors used in the previous analysis. There was no main effect of Social distance [F(1, 268) = 0.23, p = 0.632, p 2 = 0.001] or Identification [F(1, 268) = 0.15, p = 0.697, p 2 = 0.001]. However, once again, we found a significant interaction, F(1, 268) = 8.31, p = 0.004, p 2 = 0.03. As was the case with choice, the only covariate that had a statistically significant influence was the perceived importance of the feedback, F(1, 268) = 61.51, p < 0.001, p 2 = 0.19. These results are described in Figure 4. Inspection of the data revealed that participants anchored their judgments on the suggested 10 decrease. Out of all participants stating that they intend to decrease their energy consumption, the majority (54 ) intended to decrease it by exactly 10 . We will return to this finding in the General Discussion.FIGURE 3 | A pie chart indicating the percentage of times that a saving strategy was chosen.The most successful intervention was the one where the referent household was from the same neighborhood and its members were unidentified (In-group--Unidentified).Control ConditionsThe analyses presented above lack a suitable control condition, a baseline. Theoretically, the self-rated intention to decrease energy consumption might be even higher if no feedback or just statistical feedback is given. To examine these possibilities, during the second collection period we gathered data from two control conditions: Statistical Feedback and No Feedback. Participants in the Statistical Feedback condition were informed that: "Your energy consumption exceeded the average household consumption level by 10 ." Participants in the No Feedback condition received no information about others' energy consumption levels. Subsequently, participants were asked to decide whether they intended to increase, keep constant, or decrease their energy consumption level (as in the experimental conditions, no one chose to increase energy consumption). In case they decided to change their consumption level, they had to indicate by how much ( ). Because the control conditions offered no information or very abstract information about a referent household, we did not collect perceived similarity ratings between the participants' household and the referent household, or importance ratings of the feedback. Below, we compare the findings of the four experimental conditions to those of the control conditions.Self-rated Intention to Modify Consumption: Saving StrategiesA subset of the participants (N = 118) indicated the three ways by which they intended to save energy. The results are illustrated in Figure 3. The most chosen option was "Turn off the light when you exit the room" (31 ), while the second and third most chosen options were "Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use" (22 ) and "Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes" (22 ). These data indicate that there is a certain degree of consistency across participants in their preferences about how to save energy.SummaryWe examined whether the effect of comparative feedback (a typical household consumes 10 less) on self-rated intentions to modify energy consumption is moderated by information concerning the "typical household": whether it is located in the same vs. a different neighborhood, and whether its members are identified by names, age, and a photograph vs. they.