Energy at work: Social psychological factors affecting energy conservation intentions within Chinese electric power companies

Energy use is becoming an important environmental concern in China. Based on the theory of planned behavior, this study investigates how energy concern influences employees’ intentions to conserve energy at work through the mediation effects of attitudes, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and injunctive norms. This study sampled 564 employees of nine state-owned electric companies in China. Results of structural equation modeling indicate energy concern directly influenced attitudes, PBC and injunctive norms, but not behavioral intentions. In addition, injunctive norms and PBC have direct and positive effects on energy conservation intentions. However, attitudes toward energy saving were not related to behavioral intention. Importantly, injunctive norms and PBC fully mediated the effect of energy concern on energy conservation intentions and injunctive norms had the strongest direct effect on energy conservation intentions.