Promoting Gasoline Conservation

This research systematically replicated a previous procedure for reducing driving and extended it in ways intended to increase its potential for wide use. Two groups, Reinforcement and Self-Recording, received a month-long experimental condition counterbalanced by two month-long baselines. As in the previous study, Reinforcement group subjects received individual monetary prizes scaled in terms of percent reduction in miles driven. The systematic replication confirmed the previous result (20% reduction) and provided a more stringent test than previously. The subjects (college students) were more representative of the general population and there were more checks on possible rule violations. The use of a weekly fixed-interval reinforcement schedule contingency, as well as reinforcement per se, the first extension, increased short-term control. A second extension was the sizable effect of a leader. Half of the Reinforcement group was from the second author's class and half was from a nonparticipating instructor's class. When the leader variable was combined with self-recording of driving mileage, the third extension, the Self-Recording group averaged a 10% reduction even though the monetary prizes were solely for record keeping. All components of the present study could be combined and implemented in an industrial or institutional setting where the leader exists naturally.