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Photo source: http://www.priusownersgroup.com

Social Influence Matters:How Environmental Values Develop

within Social Networks

BECC, Nov. 16 2010Jonn Axsen, Ph.D.

jaxsen@ucdavis.edu

11/22/2010 1

2

Research Questions

Beyond norms… • Do values change?

… environmental values develop?• If so…. how?

3Background: Why Buy a PHEV?• Private motives: e.g. $$ savings

• Societal motives: e.g. environment

• Symbolic motives: e.g. sending a message

4

VeryClose

SomewhatClose

Casual

Stranger

Family

DistantFriends

FormerIn-Laws

Friends

Golf Buddies

Coworkers

Girlfriend and Her

Daughter

Social Proximityto Billy

Billy Woods

5

SomewhatClose

Casual

Stranger

Family

DistantFriends

FormerIn-Laws

Friends

Golf Buddies

Coworkers

Girlfriend and Her

Daughter

Social Proximityto Billy

VeryClose

Billy Woods

6

SomewhatClose

Casual

Stranger

Family

DistantFriends

FormerIn-Laws

Friends

Golf Buddies

Coworkers

Girlfriend and Her

Daughter

Social Proximityto Billy

VeryClose

High InfluenceModerate InfluenceLow Influence

Billy Woods

7Networks by Environmental Values

Group 1: No environmental interest

Group 2: Trying out environmental values

Group 3: Strong environmental values

1st Circle

2nd Circle

3rd Circle

4th Circle

CasualAcquaint.

Stranger

Family

Out-of-StateFriends

FormerIn-Laws

LongtimeFriends

Golf Buddiesand Friends

Coworkers

Girlfriend andHer Daughter

Soci

al P

roxi

mity

to B

illy

Alter not contacted by ego

Lower influence alter

Mod influence alter

Higher influence alter

Interviewed alter

Somewhat close alter tie

Very close alter tie

XX

XX

XX

XX

1st Circle

2nd Circle

3rd Circle

4th Circle

CasualAcquaint.

Stranger

CloseNeighbors

CloseFamily

Larry’s Work

Son’sSchool

VacationFriendsSo

cial

Pro

xim

ity to

the

Rho

des

XX

XX

XX

XX

Not contacted by ego

Lower influence interaction

Mod influence interaction

Higher influence interaction

Interviewed contact

Somewhat close tie

Very close tie

Cheryl’sRunningGroup

Larry’sMartial

Arts

Former Colleagues

Larry and Cheryl Rhode

1st Circle

2nd Circle

3rd Circle

4th Circle

CasualAcquaint.

Stranger

Family

Soci

al P

roxi

mity

to D

arre

n an

d Pa

t

Darren and Pat Stashe

XX

XX

XX

XX

Not contacted by ego

Lower influence interaction

Mod influence interaction

Higher influence interaction

Interviewed contact

Somewhat close tie

Very close tie

Friends

D’s Basketball Friends

D’s High School/College Friends

P’sFriends

D’sCoworkers

P’s BunkoFriends

Neighbors

1st Circle

2nd Circle

3rd Circle

4th Circle

CasualAcquaint.

Stranger

Family

Soci

al P

roxi

mity

to M

elis

sa

Melissa Stashe

XX

XX

XX

XX

Not contacted by ego

Lower influence interaction

Mod influence interaction

Higher influence interaction

Interviewed contact

Somewhat close tie

Very close tie

Friends

Good Friends

Good Friends

Coworkers

1st Circle

2nd Circle

3rd Circle

4th Circle

CasualAcquaint.

Stranger

Noels’ Family Friends And family

Amy’s CloseFriends

Rupert’s Coworkers

Soci

al P

roxi

mity

to th

e N

oels

Amy’sCoworkers

OtherTeachers

BusinessPartners

Amy’s coworkers

Neighbors

Friends

Somewhat close tie

Very close tieXX

XX

XX

XX

Not contacted by ego

Lower influence interaction

Mod influence interaction

Higher influence interaction

Interviewed contact

1st Circle

2nd Circle

3rd Circle

4th Circle

CasualAcquaint.

Stranger

Geek Night

C’s SchoolFriends

C’s Family

S’s WritingGroup

Dog ParkFriendsSo

cial

Pro

xim

ity to

the

McA

dam

s

XX

XX

XX

XX

Not contacted by ego

Lower influence interaction

Mod influence interaction

Higher influence interaction

Interviewed contact

Somewhat close tie

Very close tie

C’s Coworkers

S’s CollegeFriends

Craig and Siobhan McAdam

S’sFamily

FoodCo-op

1st Circle

2nd Circle

3rd Circle

4th Circle

CasualAcquaint.

Stranger

Immediate Family

Current Coworkers

Wife and In-Laws

FormerCoworkers

Soci

al P

roxi

mity

to E

d R

anch

ro

Ed Ranchero

Closefriends

Neighbors

XX

XX

XX

XX

Not contacted by ego

Lower influence interaction

Mod influence interaction

Higher influence interaction

Interviewed contact

Somewhat close tie

Very close tie

1st Circle

2nd Circle

3rd Circle

4th Circle

CasualAcquaint.

Stranger

South CalFamily Bay Area Family

Soci

al P

roxi

mity

to E

thel

Pot

ter

Ethel Potter

Current Coworkers

Other Friends

Pottery Class

1st Circle

2nd Circle

3rd Circle

4th Circle

CasualAcquaint.

Stranger

A’s Family

A’s OldWork FriendsChurch

Friends

K’s Family

Soci

al P

roxi

mity

to th

e Pe

trov

s

K’s CollegeFriends

Adam and Katrina Petrov

K’s MoldovaFriends

Neighbors

1st Circle

2nd Circle

3rd Circle

4th Circle

CasualAcquaint.

Stranger

Family

Soci

al P

roxi

mity

to th

e B

etty

Ear

hart

Work Clients

Betty Earhart

Coworkers

School Friends

Real EstateFriends

Boyfriend

Ex

1st Circle

2nd Circle

3rd Circle

4th Circle

CasualAcquaint.

Stranger

Close Family

Soci

al P

roxi

mity

to B

rett

and

Julie

Brett and Julie Fort

XX Interviewed contact

J’s Boyfriend and Family

B’s CoworkersNeighbors

J’sSchoolFriends

Friends

FormerNeighbors

Prius Strangers

B’s Military Friends

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1. Diffusion

2. Translation

— Who am I? (Identity)

— Does it benefit society?— Does it benefit me?

— What does it do? — It exists

Ideas:Influence:

3. Reflexivity

Simple

Complex

Interactions and Influence

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3.Reflexivity

2. Translation

1. Diffusion

Assessment

Self-concept

Layers: Consumer

Awareness

Adopt?BehaviorProcessesof influence:

Otherpeople

Contextual factors

Reflexive Layers of Influence (RLI)

Whatbenefits?

Whatis it?

Whoam I?

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Assessment

Self-concept

Layers: Consumer

Awareness

Adopt?Behavior

Otherssupportenviro.value

Contextual factors

RLI: Develop Enviro. Values?

Open/Transition

Whatbenefits?

Aware/under-stand

3 Conditions:

-Social support of value

-Liminality: open lifestyle

-Functional Awareness

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Assessment

Self-concept

Layers: The Forts

Awareness

Behavior

Intervieww/ PHEV

researchers

Contextual factors

Smart, fun,enviro?

Enviro?Safe?

Weenie?

PHEVsexist

Example: The Forts

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Assessment

Self-concept

Layers: The Forts

Awareness

Behavior

Contextual factors

Smart, fun,enviro?

PHEVsexist

Example: The Forts

Enviro?Safe?

Weenie?

Prius driverswave“hello”

Enviro!Safe!

Weenie?

Smart, fun,enviro!

Want HEVor PHEV

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Assessment

Self-concept

Layers: The Forts

Awareness

Behavior

Contextual factors

PHEVsexist

Example: The Forts

Enviro!Safe!

Weenie?

Smart, fun,enviro!

Want HEVor PHEV

Lindsay

PHEVsexist

Saves $Easy

charge

Familyfirst

Want SUVPHEV

Intervieww/ PHEV

researchers

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Assessment

Self-concept

Layers: Consumer

Awareness

Adopt?Behavior

Contextual factors

Policy Considerations

Identity

Benefits?

Aware-ness Information

Rebates

Energy/GHG

labeling

Vehiclestandards?

HOV sticker

EnergyAudit

15Some Take Home Points

1. Awareness: - Disseminate awareness and functional information

2. Flexible identity:- Target “transitional” consumers

3. Social network support:- Market to social networks- Inform discussions of enviro. benefits- Make benefits visible

Policy Design: gauge effects at each “layer”

Publications and working papers:http://phev.ucdavis.edu/people/jonn-axsen