The importance of feedback on what others are doing

Feedback on what others are doing can be important for positioning the desired behaviour as ‘normal’. This was demonstrated in a well-known experiment by psychologist Robert Cialdini, who helped to increase the share of hotel guests reusing their towels by 26% by changing the message asking them to do so to one stating that 75% of other guests did so.

How could you use this in your project? Here are some examples of messages to promote energy conservation in an apartment block:
 
“Since the start of our project, more than half of the residents here have taken one or more of the following measures: turning off lights and appliances when not in use, reducing laundry temperatures, installing standby control switches.”
 
“Our survey showed that 84% of the residents here are concerned about wasteful use of energy and 69% are willing to try out some of our energy saving measures.”
 
“Everyone we have talked to is quite enthusiastic about our project and we have received many suggestions.”
 
“Many of the measures we are proposing are now quite standard in the other apartment blocks on this street, and their experiences have been positive.”