Promoting behavioral change towards lower energy consumption in the building sector

Climate change and environmental issues have been increasingly in the forefront of the media and government agendas. However, despite much discussion and fanfare, little has been done in the way of serious commitment and clear course of actions since the adoption of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992 to bring carbon emissions to sustainable levels. To tackle the immensity of the climate change challenge, a paradigm shift in understanding is necessary to balance the course of global human development with energy demand and consumption patterns. Accounting for over 40% of global energy demand and more than 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, the building sector offers the greatest mitigation potential for reducing carbon emissions in both the short and long term, with positive implications for a range of associated sectors and industries. Promoting behavioral change among end-users for reduced energy consumption as well as encouraging the building industry to embrace sustainable design, low-carbon construction practices and materials, and renewable technologies, is fundamental to mitigating the impact of the built environment on planetary biospheres and preserving quality of life for generations to come. This paper starts by drawing attention to the building sector and related EU policy, outlining the challenges and opportunities for reducing energy consumption and carbon emission levels. Such policy provides the essential framework to engage stakeholders and allow supporting factors to foster progress in the sector. The paper contends that information on climate change has not led to significant improvements in meeting global targets and that what is needed is behavioral change among individuals and society as a whole. On the basis of research project experiences and literature review, it puts forth and explores five key elements contributing to behavioral change for reduced energy consumption and lower carbon emissions in the building sector, focused on: information and education; financial incentives and energy services; modern technologies and sustainable design; social and community norms; and biophilia (contact with the natural environment). The paper suggests opportunities for further research and concludes with recommendations for policy-makers and related stakeholders.     

魔法数字7：米勒法则的行为经济学分析:

米勒(1956)提出,人脑同时只能处理7±2个信息团,这一发现被称为米勒法则。虽然学者们对于米勒法则所指的魔法数字究竟是多少仍有争议,但人脑具有短期存储与信息处理限制这一事实已被学者们所公认。根据这一法则,人们在进行偏好排序时有同时处理项目数量的约束,这一约束对消费者进行商品束的偏好排序有着重要影响。本文通过一个两阶段实验证明,超过人脑处理能力限制的偏好排序是不稳定的。由于人脑处理信息能力的限制,消费者只能对有限的数种商品进行排序。这也是许多行为经济学研究所发现但并未合理解释的现象背后的原因。米勒法则在行为经济学上还应有更大的发展和应用。     

The Effects of Safety Discrimination Training and Frequent Safety Observations on Safety-Related Behavior

The intent of the present study was to assess the effects of discrimination training only and in combination with frequent safety observations on five participants' safety-related behavior in a simulated office setting. The study used a multiple-baseline design across safety-related behaviors. Across all participants and behavior, safety improved from 53% during the baseline phase to 74% during the training phase, and improved further to 89% during the training plus observation phase. The results show that both discrimination training only and in combination with frequent observations improves safety-related behavior with a medium effect size. The study also measured participants' accuracy of observation, which was the extent of their correct classification of safe and at-risk behavior. Participants' accuracy of observation was above 80% and had little correlation with safety-related behavior. Based on the various measures, conducting observations appears to serve more than a skill acquisition function for the safety-related behavior.     

奥尔森集团理论评析

在集团政治研究从政治学走向经济学的过程中,奥尔森集团理论最具开创性和代表性。它以"经济人"为研究范式,通过分析集体行动的逻辑即提供集体物品和分利化倾向,认为集团分利会产生政治非民主、经济低效率后果,会形成分利联盟、制度僵化进而导致国家衰败。奥尔森集团理论开辟了集团政治研究的新视角,但也具有自身不可克服的缺陷。     

Changing Attitudes Toward the Homeless: The Effects of Prosocial Communication With the Homeless

One hundred, thirty-four undergraduate students participated in a field experiment designed to examine the effects of extended, prosocial communication with homeless persons, upon attitudes toward the homeless problem, of behavioral intentions towards the homeless, and of causal attributions about homelessness. It was expected that prosocial interaction with the homeless would produce shifts in attitudes and behavioral intentions toward the homeless and homelessness and result in greater attributions of external causes to explain homelessness. Nineteen experimental participants worked 15 hours at a local homeless shelter. Their responses to a posttest questionnaire that measured a range of attitudinal and behavioral orientations toward the homeless were compared with control participants who did not work at the shelter. Subsequent analyses furnished strong evidence of positive changes in attitudes and intentions toward homelessness among the shelter workers. These participants evaluated homeless people as less blameworthy and more socially attractive than did control participants; moreover, shelter workers indicated more personal responsibility and behavioral commitment to helping the homeless than control participants. They also perceived the homeless problem to be more serious and were more likely to attribute homelessness to bad luck than control participants. However, the two groups were equally likely to attribute homelessness to various external causes such as the economy, housing costs, and governmental policies. The results are interpreted as having policy implications for volunteer service.     

少数民族服饰的伦理学研究

本文试图从少数民族服饰与伦理学相互联系、相互作用的角度出发,挖掘蕴涵在少数民族服饰中的伦理观念,说明少数民族服饰是民族伦理观物化的标识。     

Promises and Partnership

We examine experimentally the impact of communication on trust and cooperation. Our design admits observation of promises, lies, and beliefs. The evidence is consistent with people striving to live up to others' expectations so as to avoid guilt, as can be modeled using psychological game theory. When players exhibit such guilt aversion, communication may influence motivation and behavior by influencing beliefs about beliefs. Promises may enhance trustworthy behavior, which is what we observe. We argue that guilt aversion may be relevant for understanding strategic interaction in a variety of settings, and that it may shed light on the role of language, discussions, agreements, and social norms in these contexts.     

The Effect of Timing on Jump Bidding in Ascending Auctions

We investigate the role of timing in ascending auctions under the premise that time is a valuable resource. Traditional models of the English auction ignore timing issues by assuming that the auction occurs instantaneously. However, when auctions are slow, as Internet auctions used for procurement often are, there are significant opportunity or monitoring costs to bidders, and the choice of the size of the jump bid becomes a strategic decision. We study the choice in the experimental laboratory by systematically varying the opportunity costs associated with fast bidding. When time is more valuable bidders respond by choosing larger jump bids. Surprisingly, the economic performance of the auction is not significantly affected. We develop a simple model of ascending auctions with impatient bidders that provides insights into the effect jump bids have on auction performance.     

浅析完全学分制下的学生管理模式

随着高等教育事业的发展和招生规模的扩大 ,高校学生工作正面临着机遇和挑战。本文立足于本校的实际情况 ,对在完全学分制下建立三种新的学生管理模式 ,进行了有益的探索。     

顾客之间的感知相容性与其行为意向的关系研究

从顾客感知的视角,分析了顾客相容性的概念内涵和维度构成,设计了感知相容性的测量量表,并建立了反映感知相容性与顾客行为意向之间关系的理论模型。采用调查法收集数据,对相容性量表的信度和效度进行了检验,并进一步分析了感知相容性的4个维度,即空间相容性、特征相容性、语言相容性和行为相容性与顾客情绪、感知服务质量和行为意向之间的关系。最后,基于研究结果提出了进行顾客相容性管理的若干建议。