Measuring Attitudes toward Energy Conservation: Cynicism, Belief in Material Growth, and Faith in Technology

Several recent studies have attempted to use factor analysis to determine the underlying dimensions of attitudes toward energy conservation. This research takes a different approach. Milstein [1979] hypothesized that three factors are related to energy conservation, and in this article, scales are developed for each of the three factors. Confirmatory factor analysis is employed to affirm that the three scales actually represent three separate attitudinal dimensions. In addition, appropriate tests are made for the internal consistency and nomological validity of each of the scales. The results show that belief in material growth and belief in technology are related to the energy conservation effort while cynicism regarding the cause of the energy crisis does not affect conservation behavior. Implications for public policy are discussed.