5 Second Study – Theory of Planned Behaviour survey
5.2 Methods
5.2.3 Elicitation study
An elicitation study is where the researcher gets a broader understanding of the reported enablers and constraints regarding a given behaviour, according to participants’ opinions. This investigation is performed with a sample of the target population, generally between 20 to 30 respondents. A 9 item questionnaire is commonly used, which can be set up online, given to participants, applied during face-to-face interviews or during focus groups (Francis, Eccles et al. 2004).
From a list of residents from Butler Court, one of the self-catered halls of residence, random participants were invited to take part in an online survey containing the questions for the elicitation study. However, due to the exams period, the response rate was relatively small, and in order to complete the desired 25 participants, the remaining seven paper questionnaires were given to random students in their flats and collected on the following day. Moreover, some of
Chapter 5: Second Study – Theory of Planned Behaviour survey – 5.2: Methods
is important to note that, since more than one year had passed since the First Study, six of these participants were living in shared houses in town. For that reason, their responses, although included below, were taken with caution, especially regarding the financial advantages of the energy saving techniques. Nevertheless, comparison between the results with or without these participants did not show biases: students living in halls or in town presented the same variation in responses, even regarding savings related to conservation measures. Even students living in university halls on campus mentioned that the proposed techniques can reduce bills.
The questions for the elicitation study are open-ended and encourage respondents to express their own beliefs. This instrument has the objective of gathering people’s perceived advantages and disadvantages of performing a behaviour in question (attitudinal factors), people or groups that approve or disapprove the performance of a behaviour (important individuals which opinions and expectations constitute the social norm) and enablers and constraints to perform a behaviour (perceived behavioural control). These questions were extracted from the literature and compared with the questions used in this research, as shown on Table 8 below.
Chapter 5: Second Study – Theory of Planned Behaviour survey – 5.2: Methods
Table 8 - Examples from the literature and proposition of own questions for the TPB elicitation study
(Francis, Eccles et al. 2004) (Ajzen 2002) Questions used for this study
A tti tu d e to w a rd be ha v io ur
What do you believe are the advantages of [measuring the patient’s blood pressure during a consultation]?
What do you believe are the advantages of your walking on a treadmill for at least 30 minutes each day in the forthcoming month?
What do you believe are the advantages of following the energy saving techniques for cooking?
What do you believe are the disadvantages of [measuring the patient’s blood pressure during a consultation]?
What do you believe are the disadvantages of your walking on a treadmill for at least 30 minutes each day in the forthcoming month?
What do you believe are the disadvantages of following the energy saving techniques for cooking?
Is there anything else you associate with your own views about [measuring the patient’s blood pressure during a consultation]?
Is there anything else you associate with your walking on a treadmill for at least 30 minutes each day in the forthcoming month?
Is there anything else you associate with your own views about following the energy saving techniques for cooking? Subj ec ti v e no rm
Are there any individual or groups who would
approve of your [measuring the patient’s BP during
a consultation]?
Are there any individuals or groups who would
approve of your walking on a treadmill for at least 30
minutes each day in the forthcoming month?
Are there any individual or groups who would
approve of your following the energy saving techniques
for cooking? Are there any individual or groups who would
disapprove of your [measuring the patient’s BP
during a consultation]?
Are there any individuals or groups who would
disapprove of your walking on a treadmill for at least
30 minutes each day in the forthcoming month?
Are there any individual or groups who would
disapprove of your following the energy saving
techniques for cooking? Is there anything else you associate with other
people’s views about [measuring the patient’s blood pressure during a consultation]?
Are there any other individuals or groups who come to mind when you think about walking on a treadmill for at least 30 minutes each day in the forthcoming month?
Is there anything else you associate with other people’s views about following the energy saving techniques for cooking?
P ercei v ed b eh a v io u ra l co n tr o
l What factors or circumstances would enable you
to [measure the blood pressure of a patient with diabetes during a consultation]?
What factors or circumstances would enable you to walk on a treadmill for at least 30 minutes each day in the forthcoming month?
What factors or circumstances would enable you to follow the energy saving techniques for cooking?
What factors or circumstances would make it
difficult or impossible for you to [measure the blood
pressure of a patient with diabetes during a consultation]?
What factors or circumstances would make it
difficult or impossible for you to walk on a treadmill
for at least 30 minutes each day in the forthcoming month?
What factors or circumstances would make it difficult
or impossible for you to follow the energy saving
techniques for cooking?
Are there any other issues that come to mind when you think about [measuring the blood pressure
Are there any other issues that come to mind when you think about the difficulty of walking on a treadmill
Are there any other issues that come to mind when you think about following the energy saving techniques
Chapter 5: Second Study – Theory of Planned Behaviour survey – 5.2: Methods
To answer all the 9 questions from the elicitation study participants were asked to consider these energy saving techniques:
• Measure the amount of water • Time the process
• Choose small pans for single meals • Choose small hobs that match small pans • Use the saucepan lid
• Reduce the heat when the water is boiling
• Turn off the hob a few minutes before the end of the cooking time
5.2.3.1 Responses
From the 25 survey responses, the similar answers were clustered into ordered lists sorted by number of occurrences. It facilitated the data analysis and provided insights regarding the modal salient outcomes, referents and control factors as reported by the participants. The aggregated list of responses is shown in the tables below, following each question. It is important to note that participants could provide as many answers as they wanted for each question, and it explains why the responses count in several of the following tables is greater than 25.
Table 9 – Question 1 – Advantages of following the energy saving techniques
Advantages Responses
Save bills 13
Save energy / electricity / heat 12
Environment / natural resources 11
Quicker 9
Saves water 3
Safety / less hazardous steam 3
More efficient 2
Ensures it cooks properly 2
Reduce problems 1
Easy 1
Chapter 5: Second Study – Theory of Planned Behaviour survey – 5.2: Methods
Even though most of the respondents (19 out of 25) were living in halls where their electricity bills are included in the accommodation fees as a fixed price, they understand that energy saving techniques can save money. This response was then removed from the subsequent questionnaire because it does not apply to students living in halls. As can be seen on the table above, 12 participants mentioned that applying the proposed energy saving techniques can help save electricity, and 11 stated that it can reduce environmental damage and avoid natural resources depletion. Some participants also mentioned that these techniques can make the cooking process quicker and more efficient, in agreement with results from the First Study.
Table 10 – Question 2 – Disadvantages of following the energy saving techniques
Disadvantages Responses
Can take time 13
Takes effort / needs monitoring / more difficult 7
Takes concentration / thinking / ability 6
Hassle 4
People won’t use 1
Reduces efficiency 1
Can’t fit food into a small pan 1
Habit 1
Take the fun out of cooking 1
Cold food effect 1
Don’t have pan lids or small pans 1
Awkward 1
Most participants believe that following the proposed techniques will make the cooking process longer. Also, they think that it will be a hassle by taking effort and concentration.
Table 11 – Question 3 – Personal opinions
Personal opinion Responses
Useful / worth doing / good 10
Chapter 5: Second Study – Theory of Planned Behaviour survey – 5.2: Methods
Can’t do some of them / some are not good 4
Easy / simple / Involve small changes 4
Helpful / for the environment / avoid waste 4 Students won’t do it / Overlooked by students 3 I don’t follow them / It doesn’t bother me / I don’t care 3 I would use just the ones that don’t add time 2
Effective 2
The preparation adds time / can be time consuming 2
Won’t save much 2
Pans must match hobs 1
I prefer gas cookers 1
Must highlight the economic and environmental impact 1
Need a leaflet 1
Save energy 1
Save time 1
I would use just the easiest ones 1
I’m more interested in the food 1
There is no financial incentive 1
Generally, participants had a positive attitude towards the proposed techniques. But some limitations were seen, mainly regarding the ability to perform some of them, or expressive lack of care towards them.
Table 12 – Question 4 – People who approve of the energy saving techniques
Individuals or group of people who approve Responses Eco-friendly people / environmentally friendly / green people /
environmentalists / conservationists
9
Flatmates / housemates / students hoping to save money 5
Greenpeace 3
Family / parents / dad 3
House owners / landlord (in all inclusive) / who pay bills 3
Everybody / Anyone rational and sensible 2
Chapter 5: Second Study – Theory of Planned Behaviour survey – 5.2: Methods
Hall (hall points) 1
Friends 1
Scientists 1
Government 1
University 1
‘Green’ people or organizations were seen as the most important ones that would approve the use of the proposed techniques. Their immediate peers like housemates and flatmates were also reported to be important referents. The mention of Flatmates here could have been motivated by a competition among halls to see which ones reduce their energy use, where the winners can get points and money towards RAGs – Raise and Give – the University’s charity scheme. For obvious reasons, house owners, landlords and whoever pays bills were also mentioned as people who would approve the energy saving techniques. Surprisingly, the university as a whole was mentioned just once.
Table 13 – Question 5 – People who disapprove of the energy saving techniques
People who disapprove Responses
People in a hurry / who you are cooking for, if it takes longer 3 Chefs / People enthusiastic about their food 2
Lazy people 1
Gas and electricity companies 1
Not many participants had expressed opinions on this topic. However, one perceived negative aspect of the proposed techniques is that they would make the cooking process longer, and consequently it would bother people who they are cooking for. Participants also had the impression that it can compromise the quality of food, which would impact on those people enthusiastic about food.
Table 14 – Question 6 – Other referents
Other people Responses
Conservationists / environmentalists / eco-friendly people / naturalists
Chapter 5: Second Study – Theory of Planned Behaviour survey – 5.2: Methods
My parents / mum / family 4
Flatmates / housemates 2
Bill payers 2
Green party 1
Lesions at school or at home 1
Other wasteful students 1
Scientists of global warming 1
Question 6 was presented to participants to check if they had other comments that could shed a light on the social influence on their behaviours. The responses were similar to the ones from question 4, focusing on environmentally conscious people, family, flatmates, housemates and bill payers.
Table 15 – Question 7 – Enablers of the energy saving techniques
Enablers Responses
Having more time 7
Array of kitchen items / right equipment / pans / lids / jugs / timers / better kettle
7
Information / reminders in the kitchen 6
Knowing the facts / costs and savings 5
Space in the kitchen for preparation / facilities / bigger cupboards 4 Automation 1 Enforcements 1 Peer pressure 1 Technology 1
Thinking I’m contributing to save energy 1
If I cared more 1
Simplicity of the dish 1
Living with less people 1
Question 7 asked participants to describe what factors or circumstances would enable them to follow the energy saving techniques for cooking. Participants reported that having more time
Chapter 5: Second Study – Theory of Planned Behaviour survey – 5.2: Methods
would be a facilitator. From their point of view, the proposed techniques would consume time to be performed, even though some of them consider that it can make the cooking process quicker, as seen in question 1. Another strong enabler would be the presence of adequate utensils, demonstrating that not all students are well equipped to perform the proposed energy saving techniques. The lack of information and knowledge was pointed quite frequently. Having more space to prepare food or store utensils was also reported as an enabler to the performance of energy saving techniques.
Table 16 – Question 8 – Constraints of the energy saving techniques
Constraints Responses
Being short of time / in a hurry / in a rush 11 More people cooking at the same time / Small hobs not available 5
Laziness / being tired / lethargic 3
Improper equipment / lack of clean utensils 3
Not concentrating 2
Knowing that they don’t save much 1
Habit 1
Being hungry 1
Not having money 1
Lack of awareness 1
I don’t care 1
Being on a hangover 1
Incorrect facilities 1
Cooking complex dishes 1
Question 8 asked students what factors or circumstances would make it difficult or impossible for them to follow the proposed energy saving techniques for cooking. The most frequently reported constraint was the lack of time. Students indicated that they are often in a hurry and do not have enough time to dedicate to it.
Table 17 – Question 9 – Other issues
Other issues Responses