Energy Transitions and Social Psychology

"Current discussions about transitions are often dominated by techno-economic perspectives that obsess over elements like carbon and cost. This book takes a refreshing departure from that paradigm, and it explores the cognitive, psychological and behavioural elements underlying those very same transitions. It underscores that if we truly want a more sustainable future, we need to change not only the technologies we build and the market mechanisms we design, but how we think about ourselves, society, and the sociotechnical systems embedded between them all." -- Benjamin K. Sovacool, Professor of Energy Policy at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the School of Business, Management, and Economics, University of Sussex, UK

"Transition studies and (environmental and social) psychology have strongly contributed to our understanding of sustainability transitions. However, and surprisingly, the streams of literature have so far developed in relatively unconnected ways. I thus consider this book a valuable addition to the literature." -- Elisabeth Dütschke, Senior Scientist at Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI), Germany

"This timely book is a must-read for all transition scholars interested in studying agency in sustainability transitions. It is also a welcome invitation for a greater engagement of social psychologists in studying the role of individuals within larger socio-technical transition processes towards sustainability. May it inspire new interdisciplinary research leading to an enhanced understanding of how to accelerate sustainability transitions in sectors such as energy, mobility or agro-food." -- Karoline Rogge, Senior Lecturer at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) and Co-Director of the Sussex Energy Group, University of Sussex, UK, and Senior Researcher, Fraunhofer ISI, Germany

"This is an important book for social scientists and others concerned with sociotechnical transitions. The authors have identified and explored a hugely significant aspect of energy transitions and energy technology diffusion, acceptance and use: the connection between individual-level psychology with sociotechnical processes. The message is very relevant: social psychology is not only important to sociotechnical transitions in the context of energy supply and use, but that the differences in analytic levels are bridgeable." -- Christian Oltra, PhD, Senior Researcher at the Centro de Investigación Socio-Técnica, CIEMAT Barcelona.