The Guidance and Spillover Effects of Residents' Low-Carbon Consumption Behavior: A Narrative Review

Article Sidebar

View PDF

Information Fusion

Article Type: Review Article
Issue: Vol. 2 No. 1 (2026)
Published: 30 July 2026
Pages: 45-62

How to Cite

Ren, G., & Chen, Y. (2026). The Guidance and Spillover Effects of Residents’ Low-Carbon Consumption Behavior: A Narrative Review. Urban-Regional Ecology, 2(1), 45-62. https://doi.org/10.65773/ure.2.1.148

Main Article Content

Authors

Gaofei Ren 1, 2 * , 
Yaoyao Chen 1
1 School of Management, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, China
2 Jiangxi Yangtze River Economic Zone Research Institute, Jiujiang, China

Abstract

As the issue of global climate change becomes increasingly severe, advocating for low-carbon consumption has emerged as a vital strategy for nations to address this challenge. A narrative review of the antecedents, guiding factors, and consequences of residents' low-carbon consumption behavior is crucial for constructing an accurate and effective mechanism to promote low-carbon consumption. This study provides a comprehensive review of existing research on the factors influencing residents' low-carbon consumption behavior, guiding policies, and spillover effects. The findings indicate that residents' low-carbon consumption behavior is the result of the interplay of multiple factors. Individual cognitive factors, external situational factors, and demographic factors collectively form an explanatory network for this behavior. Policy tools designed to guide residents' low-carbon consumption can be categorized based on the timing of intervention into two major types: proactive guiding policies and follow-up guiding policies, each with its own mechanisms, strengths, and potential limitations. Research on the spillover effects of low-carbon consumption behavior is still in its nascent stages; however, existing studies suggest that low-carbon consumption behavior in the private sector can have positive or negative spillover effects on other environmentally friendly behaviors. This study critically reviews the existing research controversies, methodological flaws, and theoretical differences, and constructs a theoretical framework for the antecedents, guidance, and spillover effects of residents' low-carbon consumption. This provides theoretical support and practical guidance for urban regional low-carbon ecological governance.

Keywords:
residents' low-carbon consumption, influencing factors, guiding policies, spillover effects

Article Details

References

[1] Jing, H., & Rasiah, R. (2025). Evaluation of the moderating effect of cultural values on low-carbon consumption intentions among residents of Shanxi Province. Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, 18, Article 100296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2025.100296

[2] Ding, C., Xiong, S., Wu, X., & Zhang, R. (2025). Residential low-carbon consumption behavior: Insight from social cognition theory. Management Decision. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-11-2024-2545

[3]Yang, J., Hou, Y., Cui, C., Zhou, Y., & Wen, Y. (2025). Environmental pressure and perceived costs and benefits of residents’ low-carbon behavior. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 68(10), 2297–2320. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2024.2312547

[4] Peng, L., Sun, N., Jiang, Z., Yan, Z., & Xu, J. (2025). The impact of urban–rural integration on carbon emissions of rural household energy consumption: Evidence from China. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 27(1), 1799–1827. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-03944-0

[5] Ajzen, I. (2002). Perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, locus of control, and the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32(4), 665–683. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2002.tb00236.x

[6] Chen, M., & Tung, P. (2014). Developing an extended theory of planned behavior model to predict consumers’ intention to visit green hotels. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 36, 221–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2013.09.006

[7] Yang, J., & Wang, Y. (2018). Research on energy-saving behaviors of urban residents based on TPB. Collected Essays on Finance and Economics, 34(5), 105–112. https://doi.org/10.13762/j.cnki.cjlc.2018.05.009

[8] Zhao, L., Zhang, H., & Sun, J. (2015). Factors affecting low-carbon tourism behavior under tourist situations in Sanya. Resources Science, 37(1), 201–210.

[9] Zhan, L., Yang, J., Lin, M., & Qi, X. (2025). Tourism consumers’ perceptions, attitudes and low-carbon tourism behaviors towards “dual carbon” of China. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 13, Article 1598632. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1598632

[10] Yang, P., gao, H.,& Meng, T. (2014). Analysis of factors influencing the behaviors of youth's low-carbon life. Contemporary Youth Research(04), 108-114.

[11] Han, Q., Nieuwenhijsen, I., de Vries, B., Blokhuis, E., & Schaefer, W. (2013). Intervention strategy to stimulate energy-saving behavior of local residents. Energy Policy, 52, 706–715. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.10.031

[12] Whitmarsh, L., & O’Neill, S. (2010). Green identity, green living? The role of pro-environmental self-identity in determining consistency across diverse pro-environmental behaviours. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(3), 305–314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.01.003

[13] Neo, S. M., Choong, W. W., & Ahamad, R. B. (2017). Differential environmental psychological factors in determining low carbon behaviour among urban and suburban residents through responsible environmental behaviour model. Sustainable Cities and Society, 31, 225–233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2017.03.003

[14] Mi, L., Cong, J. Q., Ding, C. Q., Qiao, L. J., & Xu, T. (2019). Why urban residents’ deeds do not match their attitude? A dual mediation model of knowledge-behavior in low-carbon consumption. Resources Science, 41(5), 908–918.

[15] Wang, S., Mbanyele, W., Feng, T., Khan, S., & Fan, S. (2025). Bridging the knowledge-action divide: Environmental awareness and low-carbon behaviors of Chinese university students. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12, Article 925. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04953-2

[16] Zhang, R., Chen, R., Wang, X.,& Jiang, Z. (2019). Study on the influencing factors of tobacco farmers low carbon production intention in shaanxi province. Ecological Economy, 35(12), 84-89+111.

[17] Zhang, Y., Sun, Y., & Liu, X. (2020). Theory of planned behavior applied to choice of low carbon commuting of Beijing residents. Journal of Beijing Normal University, 56(6), 831–837.

[18] He, Y., Sun, Y., Zhao, Z., Chen, M., Waygood, E. O. D., & Shu, Y. (2024). Impact of social-psychological factors on low-carbon travel intention: Merging theory of planned behavior and value-belief-norm theory. Heliyon, 10(6), Article e28161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28161

[19] Wang, Z., & Zhang, Q. (2020). An empirical study on the endogenous driving mechanism of tourists’ low carbon tourism behavior. Modern Urban Research, (10), 105–109. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1009-6000.2020.10.014

[20] Nordlund, A. M., & Garvill, J. (2002). Value structures behind proenvironmental behavior. Environment and Behavior, 34(6), 740–756. https://doi.org/10.1177/001391602237244

[21] Zhang, Y., Cui, F., Wu, S., & Wu, W. (2017). Analysis of the factors impacting on air travelers’ willingness to pay for carbon offsets: Based on theory of planned behavior and theory of norm-activation. Journal of Arid Land Resources and Environment, 31(11), 9–14.

[22] Wang, L. (2016). Analysis of environmentally friendly products consumption attitudes and influence factors—Based on a survey of community residents in Jiaozuo city. Journal of Arid Land Resources and Environment, 30(2), 7–12.

[23] He, Z., Jiang, Y., & He, M. (2019). Study on urban low carbon travel choice based on TPB and VBN integration model. Journal of Arid Land Resources and Environment, 33(4), 89–95.

[24] Fukukawa, K., Shafer, W. E., & Lee, G. M. (2007). Values and attitudes toward social and environmental accountability: A study of MBA students. Journal of Business Ethics, 71(4), 381–394. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-005-3893-y.

[25] Luo, X.,& Shen, F. (2011). On the cultivation of moral values in low-carbon living. Theory Monthly(12), 183-185.

[26] He, A., Li, T., & Gai, Y. (2011). The impact of urban residents’ low-carbon interest concerns and low-carbon sense of responsibility on low-carbon consumption: Differences among the East, Middle and West China. China Soft Science, 26(8), 185–192. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1002-9753.2011.08.020

[27] Huang, H., Dong, X., & Zhi, R. (2022). Urban residents’ low-carbon consumption behaviors and the influencing factors under the dual carbon background in Zhejiang Province. Journal of Arid Land Resources and Environment, 36(11), 27–33.

[28] Wang, S. X., He, Y. Q., Wang, X. D., & Wang, S. J. (2010). Building low-carbon consumption pattern in China in the era of low-carbon economy. Soft Science, 24(7), 54–57.

[29] Shi, H. (2015). Factors affecting urban residents’ low-carbon consumption behavior in Fuzhou. Resources Science, 37(2), 308–317.

[30] Wang, J., Shen, W., & Zhu, D. (2020). Research on the pro-environment behaviors of rural residents under the background of comprehensive environmental governance. China Population, Resources and Environment, 30(7), 128–139.

[31] Zhang, L., Cai, Z., & Hu, G. (2015). Analysis of low-carbon consumption behavior intention of rural residents: Based on the theory of planned behavior. Economy and Management, 29(5), 92–96. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1003-3890.2015.05.016.

[32] Steg, L. (2008). Promoting household energy conservation. Energy Policy, 36(12), 4449–4453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2008.09.027

[33] Wu, Y., Wan, J., & Yu, W. (2023). Impact of environmental education on environmental quality under the background of low-carbon economy. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1128791.

[34] Mi, L. Y., Gu, M., Yang, J., Yu, X. Y., & Liu, Y. (2016). Empirical research on the psychological motivation factors of urban residents’ low carbon oriented energy consumption behavior in Xuzhou City. Resources Science, 38(4), 609–621.

[35] Wang, T., Shen, B., & Ma, T. (2024). Individual low-carbon behaviors and influencing factors: Insights from a behavior survey study in China. Heliyon, 10(10), e31094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31094

[36] Liu, Y., Liu, R., & Jiang, X. (2019). What drives low-carbon consumption behavior of Chinese college students? The regulation of situational factors. Natural Hazards, 95(1), 173–191. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-018-3497-3

[37] He, Z., & Yang, S. (2004). A study about life style characteristics of green consumer. Nankai Business Review, 7(3), 4–10. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1008-3448.2004.03.002

[38] Sun, Y. (2013). Study on the influence of household heterogeneity factors on the energy use behavior of urban residents. Journal of Beijing Institute of Technology (Social Sciences Edition), 15(5), 23–28.

[39] Thøgersen, J., & Grønhøj, A. (2010). Electricity saving in households: A social cognitive approach. Energy Policy, 38(12), 7732–7743. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2010.08.025

[40] Shi, H. (2018). Promotion strategy of low-carbon consumption based on perspective of “willing-behavior” gap repair. Resource Development & Market, 34(9), 1304–1309.

[41] Singh, N. (2009). Exploring socially responsible behaviour of Indian consumers: An empirical investigation. Social Responsibility Journal, 5(2), 200–211. https://doi.org/10.1108/17471110910964487

[42] Ek, K., & Söderholm, P. (2008). Norms and economic motivation in the Swedish green electricity market. Ecological Economics, 68(1–2), 169–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2008.02.013

[43] Poortinga, W., Steg, L., Vlek, C., & Wiersma, G. (2003). Household preferences for energy-saving measures: A conjoint analysis. Journal of Economic Psychology, 24(1), 49–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-4870(02)00154-X

[44] Palm, J. (2010). The public–private divide in household behavior: How far into home can energy guidance reach? Energy Policy, 38(6), 2858–2864.

[45] Zhu, X. Z. (2013). The effect mechanism analysis on humanization environment to low-carbon consumption. Journal of Technical Economics & Management, (1), 79–82.

[46] Reinders, A. H. M. E., Vringer, K., & Blok, K. (2003). The direct and indirect energy requirement of households in the European Union. Energy Policy, 31(2), 139–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-4215(02)00019-8

[47] Wang, J. (2008). An empirical research of the determinants of city residents’ recycling behavior. China Population, Resources and Environment, 18(5), 96.

[48] Sun, D., & Cao, Z. (2015). On the facing obstacles and resolutions of the government guiding low-carbon consumption. Journal of Fujian Normal University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), 60(1), 18–22, 166.

[49] Samuelson, C. D., & Biek, M. (1991). Attitudes toward energy conservation: A confirmatory factor analysis. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 21(7), 549–568. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1991.tb00536.x

[50] Abrahamse, W., & Steg, L. (2009). How do socio-demographic and psychological factors relate to households’ direct and indirect energy use and savings? Journal of Economic Psychology, 30(5), 711–720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2009.05.006

[51] Mi, L. Y. (2019). Selection and optimization of policy tools for low-carbon residents’ energy consumption behavior. Science Press.

[52] Abrahamse, W., Steg, L., Vlek, C., & Rothengatter, T. (2005). A review of intervention studies aimed at household energy conservation. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 25(3), 273–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2005.08.002

[53] Edenbrandt, A. K., & Nordström, J. (2023). The future of carbon labeling: Factors to consider. Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, 52(1), 151–167. https://doi.org/10.1017/age.2022.29

[54] Newell, R. G., & Siikamäki, J. (2014). Nudging energy efficiency behavior: The role of information labels. Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, 1(4), 555–598. https://doi.org/10.1086/679281

[55] Hardisty, D. J., Shim, Y., Sun, D., & Griffin, D. W. (2020). Encouraging energy efficiency: Product labels activate temporal tradeoffs [Working paper]. SSRN. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3576266

[56] Pichert, D., & Katsikopoulos, K. V. (2008). Green defaults: Information presentation and pro-environmental behaviour. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 28(1), 63–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2007.09.004

[57] Gonzales, M. H., Aronson, E., & Costanzo, M. A. (1988). Using social cognition and persuasion to promote energy conservation: A quasi-experiment. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 18(12), 1049–1066. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1988.tb01192.x

[58] Schultz, P. W., Nolan, J. M., Cialdini, R. B., Goldstein, N. J., & Griskevicius, V. (2007). The constructive, destructive, and reconstructive power of social norms. Psychological Science, 18(5), 429–434. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01917.x

[59] Ayres, I., Raseman, S., & Shih, A. (2013). Evidence from two large field experiments that peer comparison feedback can reduce residential energy usage. The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, 29(5), 992–1022. https://doi.org/10.1093/jleo/ews020

[60] Song, Y., Li, Z., & Zhang, M. (2019). Comparison of subsidy and taxation policies for promoting green product consumption from the perspective of heterogeneity. China Population, Resources and Environment, 29(8), 59–65.

[61] Cui, F. (2016). The economic attributes of low-carbon consumption and the construction direction of low-carbon consumption policies. Enterprise Economy, (8), 10–15.

[62] Shen, C., Tian, Y., Wei, R., & Wang, Y. (2016). A study on the influences of fiscal and tax policies on low-carbon consumption behavior of residents. Taxation Research, (2), 98–104.

[63] Bo, F., & Zhuang, G. Y. (2022). Mechanism and policy of low carbon consumption under the target of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. Journal of Beijing University of Technology (Social Sciences Edition), 22(1), 70–82. https://doi.org/10.12120/bjutskxb202201070

[64] Kempton, W., Darley, J. M., & Stern, P. C. (1992). Psychological research for the new energy problems: Strategies and opportunities. American Psychologist, 47(10), 1213–1223. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.47.10.1213

[65] Ma, Z., & Hu, J. (2015). Low-carbon consumption policy analysis framework and low-carbon consumption behaviors: An empirical study of Zhuhai City. Ecological Economy, 31(9), 76–79.

[66] Chavda, P., & Mehta, D. (2025). Assessing the impact of fossil fuel subsidies and environmental tax on renewable energy consumption of OECD countries: A panel quantile approach. Next Energy, 8, Article 100313.

[67] Rao, Y., Chen, D., & Zhang, M. (2022). Peer effect on household consumption changes: Habit formation or reference point dependence? Consumer Economics, 38(3), 13–27.

[68] Shi, X., & Wang, X. (2022). Daily spillover from home to work: The role of workplace mindfulness and daily customer mistreatment. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 34(8), 3008–3028. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-10-2021-1281

[69] Wang, J., Zhou, J., & Ma, L. (2023). Spillover effect and internal mechanism of pro-environment purchasing behavior: Based on the analysis of the influence of personal values, attitudes and cognitive. Journal of Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, (6), 51–60.

[70] Wu, Z., & Guo, T. (2020). The spillover effect of recycling idle items: From the perspective of information intervention. Journal of Central University of Finance & Economics, (6), 81–90.

[71] Fanghella, V., d’Adda, G., & Tavoni, M. (2019). On the use of nudges to affect spillovers in environmental behaviors. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, Article 61. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00061

[72] Margetts, E. A., & Kashima, Y. (2017). Spillover between pro-environmental behaviours: The role of resources and perceived similarity. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 49, 30–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.07.005

[73] Xu, J., Yu, S., Tian, Y., & Cheng, J. (2019). The spillover effect of green consumption: Moderating role of goal perspective. Collected Essays on Finance and Economics, (12), 86–94.

[74] Steinhorst, J., & Matthies, E. (2016). Monetary or environmental appeals for saving electricity? Potentials for spillover on low carbon policy acceptability. Energy Policy, 93, 335–344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2016.03.020

[75] Nash, N., Whitmarsh, L., Capstick, S., Thøgersen, J., Gouveia, V., de Carvalho Rodrigues Araújo, R., Harder, M. K., Wang, X., & Liu, Y. (2019). Reflecting on behavioral spillover in context: How do behavioral motivations and awareness catalyze other environmentally responsible actions in Brazil, China, and Denmark? Frontiers in Psychology, 10, Article 788. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00788

[76] Tiefenbeck, V., Staake, T., Roth, K., & Sachs, O. (2013). For better or for worse? Empirical evidence of moral licensing in a behavioral energy conservation campaign. Energy Policy, 57, 160–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.01.021

[77] Wang, Y., Wang, S., Zhang, R., Ma, H., Hu, A., Wu, J., Yu, B., & Fan, S. (2024). Exploring the potential impact of household photovoltaic systems on low-carbon production behavior in rural areas: Unveiling the pro-environmental spillover effect. Frontiers in Energy Research, 12, Article 1297575. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenrg.2024.1297575

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.