Energy consumption, lifestyle and social structure impact of lifestyle on the consumption of energy and the possibilities of influencing the consumption of energy

The theorical basis has been charactarized by a wish to find simple social determinants as the background for development, and we find this an insufficient basis for understanding actions that are part of a unity of historical and structural, societal and psychological, everyday practical and cultural/normative conditions. A theoretical effort is necessary. There is not one theory broad enough to analyze the background for the development of consumption of energy. We can, with a starting point in our common background, use different approaches which can supplement each other in the analysis. These can broadly be characterized by keywords such as: social-psychological, social-structural, social constructivist approaches. The first part of the project aimed at clarifying the common essence and elaborating the three approaches, based on literature studies. In the second part of the project, the developed method will be applied in an empirical study of the connection between life style and consumption of energy, with its starting point in the family residence, household and transport. The development will then be linked to a study of the means which might be used in order to influence the complex of life style, and consumption and energy. The transport part of the project, which comprises a special case study is financed by the Transport Council, and in connection with this a cooperation with the Energy Group at the Technical University has been established