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Promoting energy conservation through attention control and construct activation: A field test at a campus laundry
Steven G Buzinski1, Tatum A Jolink2, Olivia C Smith1
1Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
Plos One
|April 8, 2026
Summary
Washing clothes in cold water saves energy, but most people still use hot water. An intervention successfully increased cold water laundering from 21% to 57% by focusing on control beliefs.
Area of Science:
- Environmental psychology
- Motivational science
- Behavioral interventions
Background:
- Cold water laundering reduces energy consumption, yet heated water use remains prevalent, especially in Western nations.
- Understanding individual-level motivations and beliefs is crucial for promoting sustainable behaviors like cold water washing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate factors influencing cold water laundering behavior.
- To test an intervention designed to increase cold water laundering rates using attentional control and construct activation.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Direct observational field study of laundering habits and associated beliefs.
- Study 2: Experimental field test of a novel intervention to promote cold water laundering.
Main Results:
- Only 21% of observed laundry loads were washed in cold water.
- The intervention significantly increased cold water laundering to 57% compared to 25% in the control group.
- Control beliefs fully mediated the intervention's effect on laundering behavior.
Conclusions:
- An individual-level intervention effectively increased cold water laundering rates.
- Control beliefs are a key mediator in promoting sustainable laundry practices.
- Findings offer theoretical and practical insights for environmental psychology and motivational science.
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