The 2015 International Conference of Management Sciences ICoMS 2015, April 23, UMY, Indonesia 62
ratio
Intention 0,079 0,036
1,082 0,027
Constant -2,387 1,361
0,092 0,080
Logistic regression test results showed intention to perform energy-saving positively predicted electricity
energy-saving behavi or at significance value α 0.027 or
less than 0.05. Thus, it can be concluded that the mediation effect hypothesis is fully supported. These
findings suggest that the second hypothesis is statistically supported, as shown in Table 5.
5. DISCUSSIONS
The first hypothesis H1 which stated there are differences in attitudes between subjects who received a
positive and negative message framing is not supported in this study. This findings are inconsistent with the
majority opinion in prospect theory, which states that an individual will respond differently to the message that is
essentially equivalent, depending on how the message is framed Tversky and Kahneman, 1981. Nevertheless,
considering that so far the research findings on the effects of message framing is still inconclusive, the
absence of message framing effects in this study can be explained based on the taxonomy of message framing
effects described by Levin et al. 1998, which makes taxonomy difference framing effect in three categories,
and categorize message framing as target framing. Levin et al. 1998 revealed that no effect on target
framing. Electricity energy saving behavior can be categorized in target framing. Levin et al. 1998 stated
that the evidence supporting the effectiveness of target framing is far less than empirical evidence that supports
for risk and attribute framing effects.
The research findings also different from the findings of two previous message framing research in energy
conservation context Gonzales et al., 1988; Davis, 1995, which supports the effectiveness of negative
framed message. Explanation of the emergence of differences in these findings is that the effect of message
framing is situational and dispositional Hallahan, 1999. The two previous studies using different context of
developed country that different from the context of developing country in this study. The subject awareness
about energy conservation may be higher among citizen of developed country. Based on this phenomena, the
future study can be conducted among subject with higher awareness about energy conservation behavior
such as electricity bill payers.
The lack of message framing effect on this study can also be concluded because of the perception amog
subjects of the experiment who perceived electricity energy saving is a low-risk behaviors that would not
bring a significant risk if they are not performed those behavior. Students who become subjects in this study
tended to individually oriented than socially oriented. They are more concerned with individual consequences
for themselves
of performingnot
performing energy-saving behavior than to think about the social
consequences for others if they performnot perform energy-saving behavior.
Explanation for this finding may also be associated with the opinion Hutton 1982 which states, despite the
variety of research that has been conducted to examine how consumer behavior can be changed in the direction
of energy saving behavior, however, the response shown in consumer behavior changes towards energy saving
seems slow. Hutton 1982 reveals several reasons for resistance to persuasion to reduce energy consumption
are: first, the absence of supporting infrastructure eg energy-efficient building design and installation of
energy-efficient electrical support. Second, the absence of adequate information about the benefit of saving.
Third, the appropriate economic signals.
These experimental findings are consistent with the findings of a preliminary study and a qualitative study
post-experiment. Results of preliminary studies that revealed that public awareness to save energy is still low.
Results of focus group discussions and interviews with students before and after the execution of the
experiments also confirm these findings.
Results of interaction effects testing also do not provide support for NFC moderation effect. NFC does not
strengthen the effects of message framing on paticipant’s attitude toward electricity saving behavior.
However, this study indicates that the difference in attitudes towards electricity energy saving behavior
influenced by differences in NFC of the subject. The results of this study showed that subjects with high NFC
scores have a better attitude towards electricity energy saving than subjects with low NFC scores. These
findings indicate that attitudes towards framed message in low-risk behaviors context differ according to the
level of NFC.
Referring to the theory Elaboration Likelihood Model Petty and Cacioppo, 1986, all of the changes in
attitudes can be categorized based on two different routes of persuasion that is central and the peripheral
route. When using the central route, message recipients are expected to perform certain cognitive effort to
evaluate the persuasive message that it receives. To reach the limit elaboration particular message, the
recipient must be motivated and able to elaborate on the content of the message. This indicates that a persons
motivation to process a message very decisive response to persuasive messages it receives. One individual
differences that determine a persons motivation to process a message is NFC. The study on previous
studies Zhang, 1996; Zhang and Buda, 1999;
The 2015 International Conference of Management Sciences ICoMS 2015, April 23, UMY, Indonesia 63
Chatterjee et al., 2000 tend to show the effect of the interaction between the NFC with a message framing.
The third hypothesis testing results indicated that attitude predict behavioral intention. Meanwhile, the
attitude does not predict behavior. Compilation of the results of the linear regression testing concluded that,
positive attitudes
predict intentions,
based on
hierarchical linear regression test results and positive intentions predict behavior based on the results of
logistic regression testing. This finding is consistent with the majority of attitude theory which states that
individuals behavior can be predicted from attitudes
The findings of this study indicate that intention is able to mediate attitude-behavior relationship. These findings
indicate that the formation of attitudes and commitment to conduct electrical energy saving is very important to
create electrical energy saving behavior among young adults. But the findings of this research can not be the
benchmark that the formation of attitudes and intentions will automatically change young adults in energy
consumption behavior as the behavior measurement proxy used is still simple and because of the tendency of
resistance to energy conservation message from previous research, such as stated by Hutton 1982
above. Additionally, Martiskainen 2007 also stated that resistance to persuasive attempts to conserve energy
is because of behavior is a complex combination of emotions, morals, customs, social factors and normative
values, thus changing behavior is a major challenge. Martiskainen own studies found no significant results in
their studies because of the limitations their experimental design no random assignment of
subjects.
6. RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS,