An Analysis of Mechanisms underlying practice changes among participants in a carbon-neutrality living lab: Focusing on the Theory of Planned Behavior

This study examines the mechanisms underlying practice changes among participants in a carbon-neutrality living lab, focusing on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Carbon neutrality requires not only policy and technological efforts but also sustained changes in citizens’ everyday practices. Therefore, this study conceptualizes the living lab as a participatory and experimental space in which participants attempt carbon-neutral actions, record their experiences, share feedback, and collectively identify support measures. A qualitative case study was conducted in a carbon-neutrality living lab jointly operated by a university in Seoul, South Korea. The program lasted approximately two months and involved 18 participants. Data were collected from Padlet-based practice records, comments, interaction data, and semi-structured interviews with nine participants. The data were analyzed through theory-driven thematic analysis using the three TPB components: attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. The findings show that participants came to view carbon-neutral practices not as burdensome moral obligations but as manageable everyday choices. However, practices were sustained mainly when the perceived cost and inconvenience remained acceptable. Padlet records, peer comments, weekly meetings, and group discussions fostered mutual monitoring, encouragement, and the formation of reference groups. Participants also expanded their practical strategies through interaction with others. In terms of perceived behavioral control, structural barriers such as insufficient facilities for washing reusable cups, unclear waste-separation systems, limited bicycle infrastructure, and insufficient information on carbon reduction constrained practice. Quantitative feedback provided through digital platforms enhanced participants’ sense of control and motivation. This study suggests that carbon-neutral behavior change is shaped by the interaction of individual attitudes, social relationships, infrastructure, institutional conditions, and feedback systems.